Review and photos by Ashley Beliveau.

Last Friday night Austin band The Black Angels brought their brand of ’60s style psych to the TLA in Philly, part of their co-headlined tour with Black Mountain, engaging the crowd with an hour-long, fuzz guitar-laden psychedelic journey.

They opened their set with an attack of raw Rock and Roll, blasting out older songs such as “Better Off Alone”, “Passover”, “Mission District” and “Directions To See A Ghost”, as well as songs from the new album Phosphene Dream. Lead vocals from Alex Mass, defined the band’s dark imagery, while the sonically charged guitar from Christian Bland left the audience, and myself, completely entranced. Stephanie Bailey’s drumming played a crucial part in the performance, keeping The Black Angel rhythm train running steady on the tracks. Simply put, this band is one that you don’t want to miss live. Check out more photos and the rest of their tour dates after the jump…

US Tour dates:
11/09/10 Louisville, KY – Headliners
11/10/10 Asheville, NC – Grey Eagle
11/11/10 Nashville, TN – Mercy Lounge
11/12/10 Atlanta, GA – The Earl
11/13/10 Orlando, FL – The Social
11/15/10 Birmingham, AL – The Bottletree
11/16/10 New Orleans, LA – Tipitina’s
11/17/10 Houston, TX – Warehouse Live
11/19/10 Austin, TX – La Zona Rosa
11/20/10 Dallas, TX – Kessler Theater
11/24/10 Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theatre
11/26/10 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
11/28/10 Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
11/29/10 Seattle, WA – The Showbox
11/30/10 Vancouver, BC – The Commodore Ballroom

For those of you who are not familiar with the Krautrock legends, NEU! was formed by Drummer Klaus Dinger and Guitarist Michael Rother in 1971, after they left an early, traditional instrument-based incarnation of Kraftwerk. Their spacey guitars and driving, machine-like rhythm, dubbed “the Motorik beat”, served as a blue-print for future generations of punks, space-rockers and electronic music producers.

Last Sunday, I headed to the Ibrahim Theater in West Philly for a rare night of live NEU! music presented by Hallogallo 2010 (surviving member Michael Rother on guitar and effects, Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth on drums and Aaron Mullan of Tall Firs on bass), in anticipation of hearing that now-classic “Motorik” beat live. The set was a mesmerizing and thunderous blast of refreshed ’70s NEU! material and tributes to Krautrock legends of yore, some of which could have served as soundtracks to Olympic footage or Sci-fi Thriller films. Brilliant, as expected.

Set list:

Hallogallo 2010
Neutronics 98 (A Tribute to Conny Plank)
Aroma Club B3
Deluxe
Veteranissimo
Dino

You can see photos from the Philly gig here and listen to a stream from their recent NYC show below:

(via WNYC)

The NEU! Vinyl Box Set is available now on Gronland Records.

Photos by Julie Drexler

Prior to its recent release, Laurie Anderson’s Homeland,  has taken on various forms over the years on the road and in the studio. In its current recorded state it’s a  political beast and a masterpiece of topical storytelling. In its live incarnation, it’s a minimalistic, humorous and often chilling experience.

On stage at World Cafe Live’s dinner theater this past Monday, Laurie was joined by bassist Bill Laswell and keyboardist Rob Burger, who also plays The Orchestron aka The Optigan, a vintage keyboard in which you insert optical discs containing sampled sounds (Burger discusses it in this interview.).  But unlike Anderson’s past performance art pieces, this show was all about the music. No background visuals. No interpretive dance. Just the players, the audience, and the music.

With violin, keyboard and laptop in tow, she led us through an ambient landscape layered with thematic stories of behavioral origins, current sociological constructs and alienation. The visual minimalism complimented the dark-natured, sparsity of the material and was often juxtaposed with satirical commentary courtesy of her authoritative and debonair alter-ego Fenway Bergamot (named by husband Lou Reed). Bergamot, who speaks in a creepy, authoritative voice thanks to Anderson’s infamous audio drag voice filter, poked fun and questioned modern-day issues like the BP oil spill and the economic collapse enducing welcomed waves of laughter from the audience.

These days it’s not often that an artist has the ability to mesh profound world issues with challenging, yet accessible music in such a thoughtful and entertaining way, but Laurie Anderson has done just that with her new album and its accompanying live show. This is smart music for smart people.

A one-of-a-kind , tour-only autographed version of the album with a fun, cheeky doodle.

Purchase Homeland now from Nonesuch Records and catch Laurie on tour.

by Nataly Morales

I knew Echo and The Bunnymen were quickly approaching retirement age, but I was not expecting to be the youngest person by 20 years when I attended their recent Philly show at the Keswick Theater.  A crowd sporting Dockers, loafers and budding baldness filled the venue with excited anticipation. Unlike my eager soccer-mom fan-mates, I was pessimistic about the concert.

I have seen elderly rockers perform before and have typically been let down by their shaky, winded vocals and their unenthusiastic performance, fearing that each strum of the guitar might be their last. I expected the same from the Bunnymen. This time I was dead wrong.  Time has not affected The Bunnymen’s talent or tamed lead-singer Ian McCulloch’s spicy personality.

The cocky front man fired commands at the aging audience between each and every song. “I don’t like yelping.  Shut the F*** up,” spewed McCulloch, after the set opener “Going Up”, from their 1980 debut album Crocodiles. And as the Volvo-driving, diaper bag-toting, daily vitamin-taking audience danced to “Book of Love”, not unlike my mother dancing in her living room, the front man shouted, “You are leaning on the stage. Maybe you are one of the band, but I don’t think so!” Sorry moms and dads, but this is still Rock and Roll and McCulloch is determined to prove it to you — even at age 50.

In attempt to ignore the comical insults plunging towards me in an incomprehensible English accent, I focused on the songs. When I heard the beginning chords of “Killing Moon,” I was definitely excited. Sure, most people my age know it from the Donnie Darko Soundtrack, but it is truly a brilliant song, no matter what the context.

Cigarette in hand and microphone to lips, McCulloch continued the evening with a mix of classic and new songs, giving their middle-aged fans and not-so-middle-aged fans exactly what they wanted. Everything was played precisely, carefully and with enthusiasm. Flawless instrumentation, clear-as-a-bell vocals and rocker-diva authority made for a pretty awesome show. I guess you are never too old to enjoy Echo and The Bunnymen.

Echo and the Bunnymen’s newest album, The Fountain can be purchased here.

Review + photos by Julie Drexler

This past Thursday Philly was blessed with the presence of two amazingly talented bands. Like an astronomical phenomenon that only occurs every 3 years, AIR is touring North America, and the infamous French electro pop duo hand-picked Los Angeles based artist AM to accompany them on tour.  As a huge fan of French electronic music, this was a highly anticipated show…

Tulsa-born and New Orleans-raised, indie artist AM set the stage for a night of cosmic melodies. With his electrified presence, AM seemed just as excited to be playing with AIR as the crowd was to hear them perform. The stripped down, three member band consisting of a vocalist/guitarist, keyboardist and drummer played a short, yet sweet set consisting of songs off their latest album Future Sons & Daughters. It’s hard to describe the exact genre of AM, but their uplifting set was like a mouthful of fruit punch pop rocks! They have this experimental combination of global sounds, folk-rock, pop, with a hint of funk. AM’s vocals were definitely the highlight of their performance -  “Self Preservation” was pitch-perfect. It was an ideal set to start the night off and get the crowd warmed up for some Frenchy flirtation.

Seeing AIR walk out on stage was surreal. The French duo consisting of Nicolas Godin and JB Dunckel were accompanied by British drummer Alex Thomas from Bat For Lashes and Badly Drawn Boy. Dressed in all white, Dunckel stood manning the synthesizers and gazing into the crowd with this presumptuous smirk, while Godin effortlessly rotated between bass, guitar, and synth. The duo performed a number of songs off their latest album Love 2, interspersed with some popular goodies from their previous albums.  Their performance was like a journey through space and they lifted the night off with “So Light is Her Footfall” and “Love”. In between songs, Godin amused the crowd by talking through a vocoder, which transformed his delicate French accent into a sci-fi robo voice. AIR left  the stage  to a robotic “Kelly Watch the Stars!” before returning for crowd-pleasing encore featuring “Heaven’s Light”, “Sexy Boy”, and “La Femme d’Argent”.

Overall, the night was a solid, spacey delight fueled by a French artistry not often seen here in Philadelphia.

More AIR photos and set list after the jump…

AIR SET LIST:
Do the Joy
So Light is Her Footfall
Love
Remember
Venus
J’ai Dormi
Missing the Light of Day
Tropical Disease
People In The City
Don’t Be Light
Radian
Cherry Blossom Girl
Be a Bee
Talisman
How Does It Make You Feel?
Alpha Beta Gaga
Kelly Watch the Stars!
———-
Heaven’s Light
Sexy Boy
La Femme d’Argent

Review + photos by Julie Drexler

Let me start by saying I have never seen so many people in Philadelphia ready to bust a move. Call it a case of cabin fever from the snow that swept the city last week, but people were psyched to dance off that extra pent up energy. Over 1,000 people showed up to see Neon Indian and Memory Tapes perform their brand of psychedelic synth-pop this past Friday at Voyeur.

Read the full review (with pics + MP3s) after the jump…

Neon Indian

Despite Neon Indian’s initial sound problems and massive amount of feedback, front man Alan Palomo provided the party they needed. Once all technical difficulties were ironed out, the entire group shifted into a synchronized stream of energy. They hit their stride with “Local Joke” and “Deadbeat Summer” {MP3} from their LP, Psychic Chasms and gave nothing less than a passionate performance. While watching the group, I couldn’t help but wonder how Palomo had such a natural stage presence. Perhaps there was a reason for this? After doing some research, I came across this little gem that explains everything. Turns out his father, Jorge Palomo, was a mexican pop singer. The resemblance is uncanny!

——————————–

Memory Tapes

Dayve Hawk of Memory Tapes followed with a dreamy set accented by lighting theatrics courtesy of Klip Collective. Hearing all of the songs from his recent album Seek Magic was enchanting, and “Bicycle” and “Green Knight” {MP3} stuck out as crowd sing-a-long favorites. Hawk and drummer, Matt Maraldo, played seamlessly along to laptop backing track. Despite the lack of live instruments, they sounded polished. One of the hardest things for an electronic musician to do is bring their music from the bedroom to the stage, but Memory Tapes get the job done — and then some. Their performance leaves me curious to hear what they would sound like as a completely fleshed out band.

Leaving the show left one with the feeling they just woke from a summertime dream. A welcomed vacation from a brutal February.
With Neon Indian relocating to the east coast, we look forward to seeing both bands in Philadelphia more frequently.

On first, or even fiftieth listen, Phoenix may not strike you as a band that could whip a sold-out crowd into a frenzy, but that’s exactly what they did last night in Philly. Simply put, they killed it. (Full review, photos and setlist after the jump)

The Franz Liszt-inspired “Lisztomania” kicked off the hour-and-a-half energetic set, and from there these humble and exhuberant fellows, especially lead singer Thomas Mars, rifled through a perfect mix of old and new tunes ranging from the ’80s decadence of “Too Young” to the rousing anthem “Consolation Prizes”. It was essentially non-stop pop adrenaline, until Mars and guitarist Christian Mazzalai performed an intimate and memorable version of Air’s “Playground Love” during the show’s only encore.

As for the finale, the band played it smart and saved the best for last. Just seconds into the electro-pop gem”1901″, the crowd lit up like the pin-striped neon lights that illuminated the stage. The roar rivaled the song’s sonic buzz and the room was instantly electrified, especially when Mars made his way into the audience and joined the ground-swell. As far as the fans were concerned, Phoenix could have kept on playing it and they would have kept on dancing.

(Photos by Andrew Reyna)

Set list:

Lisztomania
Long Distance Call
Lasso
Run Run Run
Fences
Girlfriend
Armistice
Love Like a Sunset Part I
Love Like a Sunset Part II
Too Young
Rally
Consolation Prizes
Rome/Funky Squaredance

Encore:
Playground Love (Air cover)
If I Ever Feel Better
1901

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band
Let me just say that this band’s live show impressed the hell out of me. They were seriously tight and uber intense. Marshall, the 15 year old wunderkind, absolutely kicked ass on the drums. He may be the next Keith Moon. Traci’s “jumbo jingle sticks” shook the very foundation of the ol’ Church and her bass drum projectile bounce had the crowd ducking in glee. Matt’s proggy synth gave me flashbacks a few times and Jared’s bass groove had everyone’s ass shaking. At the forefront was lead singer Benjamin with his passionate vocals and cathartic stage moves that perfectly reflected the music’s frantic nature. Benjamin–an ideal leader for an awesomely twisted family band.

Bishop Allen
Goddamn it, Bishop Allen, why are you so good? You make my toes tap and my head nod with every single note you play. How dost thou achieve this so consistently? Are you part of some secret society of songwriters that includes the likes of Paul Simon and Paul McCartney? Songwriters who are able to wield their magic songwriting powers at any moment in any situation? What are yooouuu??? Oh, that’s right, you’re my favorite band, and your live set just keeps getting better and better!

Both bands have awesome new albums out now on Dead Oceans and I highly recommend you catch them on tour!

Grab their vinyl, as well as a variety of awesome merch from their MySpace page.

During Beach House’s fantastic set, lead singer Victoria Legrand announced the band was admittedly tired after having just wrapped up a European tour. A mellow and warped mood coursed through the evening but it didn’t seem to disappoint. Victoria’s voice was just as seductive and satisfying live as it is on their albums. They played all the goodies from both their latest “Devotion”, as well as songs from 2006’s self titled album. In between songs the jacket-clad singer sarcastically repeated, “this song’s about love.” I then thought to myself, “most great songs are…”

Thanks again to Laura for the photos and the review!

For the release of their new album Where’s My Golden Arm?, LAF rekindled that Lenola aesthetic, albeit not AS intense, dressing their mic stands in a collage of twinkles and autumn-leafy goodness. Yep, the stage was illuminated, not only from the the glow of those golden bulbs, but also from the intensity of the band’s new songs. Filled with spacey keyboards, serene harmonies and guitars that intend on melting your face off one minute and warming your heart the next, the music sped down a path of light, bounced off the walls and headed straight into the subconscious.

You can download their awesome new track “Internal/External” here and check out their MySpace page for more sounds. Where’s My Golden Arm? is available now from Transit of Venus.

On such an epic occasion the band decided to compliment with a whirling, 5 minute instrumental voyage, reminiscent of old-school shoegaze and 70s krautrock, which was medicinal and uplifting to say the least. From there they went on to perform their emotional brand of electronic pop, sounding like a well-tweaked mix of The Knife and Depeche Mode. Check out, the very red and nicely shot photos:

Photos courtesy of Rachael Santillo.

Download a free Human People mp3 here and visit their MySpace page and their blog for additional free downloads.

I thought to myself, “Wait, no requests? Boo! Ok, how about just playing my all-time favorite Wire song “The 15th?” Sure, up to that point, the set was a well-paced mix of old and new material (including songs from Pink Flag!), but I needed to hear THIS song.

I proceeded to shout out the cryptic title using my trite British accent. Yep, those around me witnessed my shitty Colin Newman impersonation and understandably winced. However, no more than 3 seconds had passed when I started to hear those loopy and ominous chords begin to play. YES! HOLY SHIT! “The 15th” in the flesh!

Sounding better than I had ever thought it would, even better than live footage I had seen from performances past, it simply blew me away. For these elder statesmen of Post-Punk, practice truly does make perfect.

(All photos courtesy of Laura Nunzi)

Wire has only a few more dates to go, so definitely catch em if you can! Their new album Object 47 is out now on Pink Flag.

Underneath the white lights of the store and sandwiched between racks of clothing, the Brooklyn three-piece gracefully and emotionally glided through their set, playing most of the songs from their new album Does You Inspire You. Yes, they played “Bruises” of iPod Nano fame…and YES it sounded better that the record! Lead singer Caroline Polachek’s voice was pitch-perfect and beautiful, while the dreamy mix of synths and guitars sounded, well, truly inspired. SERIOUSLY, go see this band!

Chairlift is currently on tour with Yeasayer and their album Does You Inspire You is available now from Kanine.

So guys, great to meet you! How has your mini-tour been going so far?

Gabe: Awesome to meet you! Thanks for The Walrus shirts! It’s been going really well.

Drew: Yep, it has definitely been a lot of fun.

Awesome! Have you guys ever played Philly before? What are your thoughts on the city? Tell me about your experiences, good and bad.

G: Yea this is our 4th show here I think. Someone asked me earlier what the differences are between Philly and New York audiences–and now I remember–the heckling! But it’s heckling with good intentions. It’s like “hey you are in our city now, we like you, but don’t get too comfortable because we are still going to give you shit.”

Ah, the casual heckling of Philadelphia…

G: Haha, yes.

D: Yea it’s never demeaning or aggressive.

G: It’s actually sort of nice, considering the fact that a live show is really a two-way street. I’d much rather have some reaction than none at all.

True, plus it keeps it fun. In regards to the new album, Migration, there is a meditative vibe going on, especially on songs like “Monkey Forest Road” and “(The Optimists Were Right)”. Gabe, I recently read on the band’s MySpace page that it stems from your mom’s new religious conversion. Could you elaborate?

G: Well, there are several threads of meaning going on within the record. I’d definitely say that one of the narrative threads in the lyrics is about my mom becoming a holy person.

Yea I definitely picked up on that vibe while listening to it. On the other hand, “Homebreaker” has a real funky sound at the end of it. Were there any direct inspirations behind that?

D: That’s our “Thriller” section!

G:Ha! That song was a total experiment. I didn’t want any parts written before-hand. It basically started with percussion and bass parts, and then we recorded individual parts in secret hoping that, in the end, everything would come together. Until the end, it was really difficult to know what it would end up sounding like. But, in terms of influences, there is definitely some Talking Heads in there!

How about Peter Gabriel? I know you guys get that one a lot…

D: Yea we both like Peter Gabriel, but we weren’t trying to mimic the “World Music” sound or anything. There are some specifics sounds in his music, like how he recorded toms, that we wanted to emulate, but that was it.

Gabe, you also wrote that sometimes this record is about where you came from and how you got there. Is that alluding to the musical process or just the feeling of it? Can you elaborate?

G: It’s both. The thesis of the record is “moving from comfort to discomfort.”

Interesting. I’m sure, like many bands, your recording process differs from your live show. Do you prefer one over the other or do they both have pros and cons?

G: I love recording. The live show is necessary though.

D: I love recording for what you can do, there are no limitations, but I definitely prefer the live show.

Cool. On that note, what was the worst show you ever played? The best?

G: Not sure about the worst…Best? Haha, you tell me. I used to know this guy when i was working, he was an India Stone Dealer and I would always say to him “Hey Rajah, how’s it going?” and he would respond (in an Indian accent) “I don’t know you tell me.” The show at the Black Cat was definitely awesome.

D: Ummmm, the MRoom in Philly!?

Haha, yes, this was in fact your best show. I’m sure of it! Speaking of Philly, is there a musical connection between you guys and Alec Ounsworth/CYHSY? Or are you just friends and tour-mates? Are there plans to collaborate in the future?

D: We love those guys, they are our good friends…

G: (sarcastically) No. There will be nothing in the future at all. We are planning on distancing ourselves as much as possible!

Ha! Say guys, the name Takka Takka wasn’t, by any chance, borrowed from a Lichenstein painting was it?

G: Yep! That’s exactly where it comes from!

D: Haha, how did you know that?

Uh, a little birdie named Earfarm told me.

D: Ahhhh, yes!

I’m curious, who directed the video for “Silence” and where did all the toys come from?

G: Our good friend Amy Finkel directed it. She is awesome. Yes, those are all her toys! Unbelievably enough, she still makes mini models!

D: Yea! She is really awesome!

Remixes are really popular these days. Personally, I sometimes become sold on a remix of band’s song before I ever hear the original. Have you guys considered doing some?

G: The idea that the remix can become more well known that the original song is really interesting to me. It’s kind of Warhol-ian. We really like the whole Crystal Castles/HEALTH thing. HEALTH blows me away!

D: Yea we are working with some people that we really like on future remixes, but at the same time we aren’t really sure why we are doing them…

Well, I think it helps bring in an audience that may not have necessarily known about you before…always a good thing! Ok. My last question is a fun one. What is the weirdest message you have ever received on MySpace?

G: Haha, Drew got one recently…

D: Umm, yea I played in a Guns ‘N Roses tribute band recently and a girl linked me to Takka Takka. She sent me a weird haiku through MySpace, just letting me know that she existed. A little freaky, but harmless…

Or at least you think! Ok guys that’s it for the questions. Thanks for taking the time to hang out. Great show!

G: Thanks, Michael!

D: Thanks, man!!

Check out photos from the show:

Thanks to Gabe, Drew and the rest of the band (as well as Gillian) for taking the time to hang out and do the interview and for putting on an awesome show!

You can grab a free download of their awesome track “Silence” here.

Takka Takka’s new album, Migration, is highly recommended. Grab it now over at Ernest Jenning and on iTunes.

The band plays Chicago’s Darkroom tonight and Brooklyn’s Glasslands Gallery on the 10th. Catch ‘em if you can!

Needless to say, the anticipation and excitement couldn’t have been greater. With long time favorites The Lilys on the bill, my thoughts journeyed back to 1996 – a time when these two bands were at the center of my music universe and seeing them together was merely a pipe dream. Now it would become a reality.

Despite my general enthusiasm for the bill, the nostalgia began to dissipate as The Lilys wrapped up their entertaining, yet mediocre sounding set. Nevertheless, it was time to prepare myself for the main event. I had read reviews of recent shows, I was well-versed in the band’s folk-lore. Ear plugs? Check. Good friends close by? Check. Drink in hand? Check.

The band took the stage, thanked everyone for coming and then…IT HIT, like a gigantic monster crashing to the ground. The building shook and the crowd gasped as the band broke into “I Only Said”. A multitude of bright lights bounced and flickered while the massive screen behind them displayed jarring, repetitive graphics. This intensity would continue for the next hour leaving few chances for the audience to regain mental stability.

The one-hour show was a great mix of material, including my personal favorites “Soon” and “When You Sleep,” which sounded incredible! The one drawback, however, was that, in general, the vocals were almost entirely drowned out by the music. Then again one can’t expect anything so delicate to survive underneath such a barrage of earth-shattering noise.

My friend Mike compared the 20-minute, mind-numbing “holocaust section” of the closing song “You Made Me Realise,” to “being inside of a jet engine while simultaneously experiencing a category 5 hurricane.” Seriously, check out this video clip I took of the guy standing next to me. That says it all.

Yes, I can safely say it was one of the most mind-blowing shows I have ever seen. No, I didn’t have a spiritual or religious experience, like some have claimed, but I was left feeling drained and completely bewildered. There may never be another live show as intense and as beautiful as that of My Bloody Valentine.

You can check out pics from the show and the set list over at Brooklyn Vegan and rifle through the low-grade vids on YouTube, but man this is just one show you have to see to believe.

Oh and how surreal the performance was. What this dude lacked in clothing he made up for in balls (metaphorically speaking of course). The music was a fun mix of garage rock and punk, but was ultimately secondary to the freak show that accompanied it.

NoBunny is currently touring the west coast and picking up press as he goes. Check his MySpace for more details and snag an mp3 here.

On Saturday, Robin and I attended the Popped! Fest in West Philly. The oh-so-dreammmyyy indie bill included Dan Deacon, Gogol Bordello, Crystal Castles and others (we only caught a song or two from The Ting Tings and weren’t interested in seeing Vampire Weekend or Mates of State). The weather was absolutely perfect for an outdoor fest and the crowd was definitely with it. Check out some reviews and photos from the event:

Here’s the bottom line: Dan is the fucking man! Even though the coordinators cut his set short (of all the artists they could’ve chosen!) he still managed to get the crowd engaged and participating in his Zoobly Zoo electronic soundscapes, including a ring-around-the-rosie human multiplication game. It sounded great and the crowd ate it up, especially this guy:

Oh Gogol Bordello, how we love your gypsy pirate ways. From your tie headbands to your avant-garde punk cacophonies, you really get a rise out of us. Oh and when those two cute Asian women suddenly came out of nowhere and took to the stage in unison, screaming as if they were giving birth…yea we love that kind of shit! We don’t quite know what you are, but we know that we want more! Plus, the violinist looks like the coolest dude EVER!

Crystal Castles’ 8-bit anarchy has always struck me as moody night-time music, so it was a little weird listening to them on a sunny day. In any case, I definitely dug their swagger and their style, but their songs still leave something to be desired.

All and all it was a fun day out, but from what I saw, none of the performances were mind-blowing by any means. It’s really a shame that Deacon’s set was cut short, since he was easily the most interesting and captivating performer on the bill. C’est la vie!

Big thanks to Robin for taking such awesome photos!

I must say, going through with the interview was a good decision. Midnight Juggernauts are more than their slightly pigeon-holed, yet duly-earned “Justice-approved” moniker. Plus, they rocked the Art in the Age threads I brought for them! Follow along as I head into the proverbial unknown with these intergalactic chaps…

Robin: Who are you and where do you come from?

Well, I’m Andy, I’m Daniel, and I’m Vincent. We’re Midnight Juggernauts and we come from…Mars!

Vincent: Andy and I come from Melbourne, and Daniel comes from the surfin’ beaches. He spends his life sunbathing with surfer chicks, playing the guitar, watching the waves…

Daniel: Not true!

Don’t worry, I believe you. So how and when did you meet?

V: match.com!

Andy: Vincent and I have known each other since high school. Daniel and I were in Sydney when we met for the first time. He was a young boy, a keen young man…

Where does your name come from?

V: It comes from a fortune cookie we were eating, that said, “What is a midnight juggernaut?”

A: The answer? It’s an unstoppable force in the middle of the night.

So to go along with your unique band name, if you had to make up your own genre to place yourselves in, what would you call it?

D: It would be in another dialect from another planet, or something with “new” in front of it. Isn’t that what they’re doing nowadays?

V: We wouldn’t have a word. We’d have a symbol, like Prince! It would be a dollar sign with a question mark and then a no smoking sign to keep with the times.

Ok, now for the good stuff! Ha! Since you’ve known each other for so long, do you want to fess up to any embarrassing musical obsessions from your past?

D: When I was a four-year-old…I listened to Bing Crosby records. The most embarrassing? East17, an English pop act from the early 90s. That was one of the first concerts I ever went to.

V: It’s funny thinking back to big acts from the 80s and 90s like Elton John, Billy Joel and Paul Simon. When you’re young, you cringe because you think they’re so cheesy! Your parents liked that music! But sometimes when you look back without all that baggage, there are some pretty good songs.

No worries. Billy Joel and Elton John = totally allowed (in my book, at least). So beyond being avid music listeners, do you have formal music training?

V: I started playing violin when I was 7. I got pretty good and joined string ensembles. This was the peak of my powers.

A: I had guitar lessons twice. I was into metal music, so I played some harsh distortion. My teacher told me what I was doing was wrong.

D: I used to play the tuba in my school orchestra. I was this teeny little kid carrying around this huge thing. It was the worst! Then I learned all sorts of percussion.

V: We’re still trying to uncover pictures of him as a kid with the tuba wrapped around his whole body!

I’m sure they’re well-hidden somewhere.
Besides music, are you involved in visual art? How much of a role do you play in the direction of your videos and album art?

V: We are involved as much as possible. Just like with the music, you want to create this other world.

D: We started our own label to put this album out. It’s all about independent projects. We wanted to do our own artwork, our own videos, and make the entire thing one big piece of art! All of that stuff is really important, like what you were talking about with the artist-driven shirt brand. People that make art in the world have to support each other.

After all this touring and art-making and thinking and dancing, how tired are you, seriously? Do you ever have crises and want to sit in a silent dark room for a week?

D: Yeah, all the time. That “dark room,” is called The Tour Bus, or our “coffins.” We have these cubicle beds. We’ve got our laptops and headphones. That is the escape.

V: I wonder what it’s like to just sit and do my taxes.

It’s probably not as fun as what you’re doing. Seriously. After all of your experiences, can you give me any piece of advice or a recommendation?

A: When in Washington, go to Ben’s Chili Bar, it’s incredible!

D: Stay away from The Dark Side….or embrace it.

V: If you’re going to check in a lot of luggage at the airport, make sure you find a young pretty girl to check in with, and not an old grumpy man who is going to charge you $3000 in fees.

Haha! Ok, finally…how do you take your eggs?

A: Scrambled.

D: An omelette…with lots of different stuff.

V: Raw. No, actually, fried.

Ok, that’s all I’ve got! Thanks so much, it was a pleasure!

SHOW REVIEW: Notoriously late, I arrived just as Shy Child was trucking their gear off stage. The crowd seemed a bit sedated and I was nervous to see what the response would be to the pounding Juggernaut beats. Man, was I wrong about the sedation! As soon as the Juggernauts began their set, the floor became crowded and throbbing with guys and gals shakin’ it…hard! There were no breaks in the set, which was pretty impressive, as the transitions were seamless. I described it later to a friend as “one giant, live mash-up of songs” Additionally, Vincent and Andy switched between keyboards, vocals and guitar throughout the set. Their energy and consistent solid mix of instrumentation is what truly sold me on the band.

Need more Midnight Juggernauts? Visit their MySpace page for more info and tour dates. Their debut album, Dystopia, is available now via their official site. Also, download the Knightlife remix of “Shadows” below! NOICE!

Midnight Juggernauts – Shadows (KNIGHTLIFE Remix)Download audio file (643mp3_shadows_knightlife_r.mp3)

On Tuesday night, Robin and I headed over to Johnny Brenda’s in Philadelphia’s Fishtown section to catch Sweden’s newest pop chanteuse, Lykke Li. Yep, we were psyched! It was a beautiful night and we sat outside eating chicken tacos and hummus, as we awaited her arrival. Soon enough, Lykke and her crew, including the super-talented El Perro Del Mar, arrived out front in a giant dark blue bus. When Lykke got settled in and made her way outside for some air, we quickly introduced ourselves and invited her to our table for a quick chat before soundcheck.

R: We’re glad that this is the first stop on your US tour! Have you heard about Philly before your arrival?

LL: No, but I am really into Philly performers like Jill Scott and The Roots!

M: Awesome. Don’t forget the Fresh Prince, haha. Speaking of fresh, how do you usually get introduced to new music? Blogs? Friends?

Friends give me stuff. This whole blog phenomenon makes people open to new music, but it’s often out of context. I don’t really read blogs myself. People tend to judge artists based on one song and that’s not really fair.

M: Yea, and it’s rare that people actually “wait” for albums to come out these days.

I used to love waiting for albums to come out. I would study the artwork and read what they wrote in the jacket and liner notes…things like, “Thank you Mom.” These days, it’s hard for artists to grow or have careers, because it’s so fast. People that write about the music, sometimes seem to think they know the artist, but they don’t really know them. What they write becomes the truth for a lot of people, and that is kind of scary.

R: Do you ever feel like you have been profiled unfairly?

Sometimes when older men want to review my album in Sweden, they don’t get my music. They’re like, “What is this? She can’t even sing…it’s so sparse!” But that was my point, not to try so hard or overdo it.

M: Definitely, I think that’s the best part of your music. It’s sophisticated in its simplicity. I tend to like my music that way, lately anyway. What bands/artists are you listening to at the moment?

I always listen to Nina Simone. Always. I also really like A Tribe Called Quest. I’m definitely into newer bands like Cat Power and Panda Bear as well.

M: Cool, your taste is pretty diverse. That’s something that really comes through in your music. Growing up, were you exposed to a broad range of music, or did your tastes evolve over time?

I went through phases. My dad played a lot of reggae and other music. As a really young kid I listened to Madonna and Michael Jackson. I had blonde hair, a black bra and a costume like her, and I was a really good dancer! Later on though I was into a lot of soul music, and when I heard the music of Cody ChesnuTT, I thought, “Oh my god! Wow! I want my album to be like this!” It’s really raw and he takes risks with his lyrics. He just doesn’t give a fuck!

R: Haha, awesome! In regards to your music, do you prefer performing or recording?

They’re two totally different things, so you really can’t compare. Being in the studio is really hard work, but it’s an important part of music, so you have to do it. I love performing, because it makes me feel alive and free.

R: What kinds of places do you prefer to play?

Small places and I like the mixed audiences.

R: Then you’ll like Johnny Brenda’s. When you play smaller places, specifically bars, what do you usually drink?

Whiskey, Champagne, or white wine are the only things i drink. Maybe I’ll have a gin and tonic. I don’t like beer! I’m such a girl!

M: When you are in the studio, what’s your process like? Do you improvise, or is it more pre-meditated?

Yes, sometimes improv, sometimes not. It’s usually pretty spontaneous, which is the way I think it should be.

M: If you could work with any producer or artist on a collaboration, who would it be?

There are so many good people! But just because they’re good doesn’t mean you’re going to work well with them. I would love to work with Chris Cunningham on some music videos though!

M: Yes! He does great work! Do you think you will be recording another album any time soon?

I’m going to be on tour for at least a year, and then I need some space to relax. After that, yes. But I want to live more and meet new people, and not just drive around in a bus, because what would I write about then? I need to go out and party and have relationships and enjoy life!

R: Ok, let’s talk about life! If you weren’t touring and performing, what would you be doing?

I would be traveling. I would love to go to South America and just hang out, study philosophy, hike, or learn how to dive. I would also like to go to Africa and help teach in a school. I feel kind of selfish now, so I would really like to give to others and get involved with charity programs.

R: Besides music-making, are there other art-forms that you are interested/involved in?

For sure! I love films, particularly European films and especially Spanish films. European films are great at capturing life. I just don’t feel a connection to Hollywood movies, actors, and dramas…it often feels fake, maybe because of all their Botoxing. It’s important to be real. I also really like fashion and photography. I really enjoy spending time looking at photo-books and I take photographs, but just for fun.

R: Do you have any pet peeves?

Pretentious people and bad food!

M: Did you enjoy Johnny Brenda’s chicken tacos?

Yes! I ate it all, didn’t I? God, was that a lot? I love eating! I eat eat eat eat like a horse.

M: Haha! Do you have a favorite food?

I’d say grilled street food in Morocco.

R: What about eggs? How do you like yours?

I like them scrambled. But I like omelettes and poached eggs, too! Ok, I have to head up for sound-check. Thanks, this was fun!

Thanks Lykke!

Show Review: When I returned to the venue to watch Lykke’s performance, I was a caught a bit off-guard due to the fact that she and the original headliner, El Perro Del Mar, had switched slots. At first I was disappointed, because I was super anxious to hear Lykke, but as the show progressed it seemed irrelevant. See, both singers shared the same backing band, and the ladies joined each other on stage during their respective sets. Lykke’s performance was more energetic than the beautiful and introspective set by El Perro. Keep in mind that’s just the nature of Lykke’s music…it’s more in your face and dramatic. In terms of her stage presence, she’s a natural performer and has a compelling presence.

She charmed the crowd throughout her flawless set, and when she pulled out the megaphone and began singing the opening lines of “I’m Good. I’m Gone [MP3],” I had to put down my camera and cut loose! Cheers to Lykke, El Perro Del Mar and the entire band for putting on an awesome show!

Visit Lykke’s MySpace Page for streams, tour dates and pics. Her excellent debut album Youth Novels is available now at Rough Trade.