NYC

Best of NYC #38: Hospitality

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We continue our "Best of NYC Countdown", covering every day one of the artists that made our Year End Best of NYC list (a chart compiled by a jury comprised of local bloggers, music writers, promoters, record store personnel and DJs).

After hearing Hospitality’s soundcheck, singer-songwriter Karl Blau offered to record the trio’s music in exchange for serving as his backing band for a few shows. The result of this unusual barter is the band’s self titled EP, which features six poppy, captivating songs recorded on a 4-track. It’s difficult not to fall for Hospitality’s charms.: the lo-fi songs project such warmth through Amber Papini’s tender vocals and charismatic melodies, that bear a hint of ‘60s nostalgia. Although their songs are infused with a darling amount of sweetness, their roughness in the recording department balance things out – they recorded some tracks using the telephone as their only microphone! (That’s what we call "no-fi".) Well, those tunes still sound surprisingly awesome. – Nancy Chow

San Francisco

Grand Lake, Casper and the Cookies, Aquaserge @ The Rickshaw 4/29/10

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Who still wants to write about a show that happened a month ago? This guy.

I’d heard locals Grand Lake were popular around these parts, and so I was surprised when there wasn’t more than 15 people at the Rickshaw Stop on that distant memory of a Thursday evening. It was a real shame, because they put on an amazing show opening for Casper and the Cookies and Aquasurge. Grand Lake’s performance was a crazy trip through an array of emotions, twirling the small audience from happy up-beat rock to anxious, swelling spaces of lyrical honesty.

Equally comfortable doling out dark, pulsing beats and minimalist bass lines (with long stretches of anticipation between excellent vocals) or exploding with sweet, hopeful alt-rock, Grand Lake is a wild ride. The entire act was very well put together; energetic throughout, with an ultimately optimistic vibe and enthusiastic drumming that would have excited a larger audience into bouncy dancing. Grand Lake really stole the show for me, and I wholeheartedly recommend them.

Casper and the Cookies came up next featuring Jason NeSmith (formerly of Of Montreal) sporting a mustard yellow jacket that matched the mustard yellow bass guitar that kept switching hands. Casper’s talented 3-singer harmonies and relentless pop-rock dance-beat drumming actually did get some people moving by the very end of their set, a testament to the hyperactive fun pouring from their stage. Continuing the high-energy trend set by Grand Lake, Casper and the Cookies were impressive and downright jolly.

Last we had Aquaserge, who were interesting but a little bland. They were trying pretty hard to trip the audience out, with five yelping vocalists, sharp, dissonant keys, and driving drums under inflating guitar narratives. Their music was trying to put me ill-at-ease, with occasionally flat singing and repetitive, swelling noise, coming at any given time from the bassist, the drummer, or the keyboards. They succeeded in creating an interesting sound-scape, but failed at being particularly compelling for me. When I’m given an ocean of sound, I tend to fall asleep on my inner-tube, no matter how deep and mysterious the water is.

Here’s to a more regular schedule — I’m almost positive I have three and a half readers, and I’m sure they were worried about me. I’m touched, honestly.

 

–Kyle Wheat

NYC

French Horn Rebellion tour the Americas, release video, play Bowl on 06.12

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French Horn Rebellion are slowly conquering the world country by country, with their irresisble 70s infused disco-pop. The band has recently opened on major European stages for Matt & Kim, Major Lazer, The Drums and Sleigh Bells. They are now busy touring the Americas, starting in Montreal, stopping in NYC at the Bklyn Bowl on June 12th, and ending in Sao Paulo on June 27th!
A recent visual collaboration betrays deeper, creative connection with Canada and Brasil. Montreal based Canadian film maker DEFASTEN (aka Patrick Doan) with this video visualised The Twelves remix of “Beaches & Friends”, French Horn Rebellion’s collaboration with Brazilian duo Database, a track which provides a clearing for the long awaited French Horn Rebellion debut album recently completed aboard trains, planes, and hotel rooms across Europe. 

San Francisco

The Deli SF’s Weekend Highlights For 6/10-6/13

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Of course tomorrow you should find yourself at the show we’ve put together at the Hemlock, and while that is a quality show there are still others worth checking out this weekend.

On Thursday the 10th (((folkYEAH!))) will be presenting Sleepy Sun, celebrating their CD Fever’s release, at the Great American Music Hall with The Fresh and Onlys and Moon Duo, 9pm.

Head up the Haight to Milk on Friday for a night of shoegaze and post-punk with Here Come the Saviours and their good friends Everything Gone Green and 2;Frail, 9pm.

Round out your weekend by heading to the Independent on Sunday where the Young Prisms will be opening up for Real Estate and All Saints Day (feat. members of Vivian Girls, Cat Power and Delta 72), 8pm.

Don’t forget to check out our latest Deli SF Presents show at the Hemlock tomorrow (featuring The Dashing Suns, Tokyo Raid, and Meta) and, if you haven’t already done so, go vote!

 

–Ada Lann

Philadelphia

Revised “Promoter Bill” Going to Council Tomorrow

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City Councilmen Bill Greenlee and Darrell Clarke will be bringing a revised version of the “Promoter Bill” to the Committee of Licenses and Inspections tomorrow, June 9. It’s a much tamer version than its asinine counterpart.
 
“The amended bill calls for establishments with maximum capacities of 50 or more to notify the Police Department two weeks in advance if a promoter or outside operator is going to be in charge of maintaining security and the legal occupancy limit during an event…the bill also will require promoters to register with the city and have a current business-privilege license,” said Noelle Marconi, Greenlee’s legislative director.
 
It’s better, but I still never think cops and good times mix well. Does the bill still suck to you? Well, it’s not too late to voice your opinion.
 
– Q.D. Tran
 

 

L.A.

Chasing Kings @ Future Sound’s Rumble this Thursday 6/10

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Rumble this Thursday at the 3 of Clubs: Piano-driven indie pop at its finest, Chasing Kings are a quartet of young, eager, sincere guys who bring an infectious energy to their live sets that won’t disappoint. Openers Gamble House paint a colorfully subdued musical backdrop with twinkling arpeggios, warm strings, foggy trumpets and reverb-heavy vocals behind a sound reminiscent of Grizzly Bear. Inland Empire-based trio Francisco the Man has been on the scene for the past couple of years, drawing in fans with their roots based indie folk rock. For a free show you really can’t go wrong.

New England

Other Music Festival Day 2: Ryan Power, Paper Castles, the le duo, and more

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Ryan Power and bandBurlington’s Other Music Festival continues into day 2 proper tonight at 8pm at North End Studios once again. Today features a few more Burlington vets along with some exciting high profile out of town acts. Ryan Power, the le duo, and Paper Castles are representing the Burlington area, but also making appearances are MA’s Deadwood and a collaboration between Ethan Snyder, Aaron Burnette, and Casimir Liberski. The biggest news is Tzadik’s Mr. Anthony Coleman who will be making a couple collaborative apperances throughtout the week, tonight with Derek Beckvoid and Bob Jordon. A wildly diverse night to be sure.

–The Deli Staff

NYC

The Drums finally release debut album, sell out London

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We had been wondering for a while when The Drums were going to release their debut full length – now we know: June 8 (digital version), August 10 (vinyl), September (CD). The band hit the NYC scene like a sandstorm in the summer of 2009 soon after moving here from Florida, gaining almost instant buzz in the local music blogs. Their uplifting, minimalistic pop songs, and their melancholic lyrics often recalling memories of Floridian summer and sunny beaches, are a perfect sonic appetizer for anybody’s upcoming summer vacation. The Drums are currently touring Europe, and it looks like the buzz followed them there – their two shows in London on June 8-9 sold out.

NYC

Josh Mease plays 92YTribeca on June 10

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Josh Mease belongs to the rather recent school of "adventurous orchestral songwriters", which has a strong presence in NYC. The Houston transplant feels mostly comfortable in what we call "Mellow Core" territory (i.e. ballads that are too sophisticated to be called just "ballads"). His voice alone it’s a monument to mellowness, while his arrangements dabble in psychedelic atmospheres. Josh will be opening for Angus and Julia Stone at TribecaY92 on June 10.