NYC

Weekly Feature: The Stepkids play The Knit on January 14 + tour Australia

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The Stepkids capture all the glitter and gold of classic seventies funk, R&B and soul music with such expertise that their recently released self-titled debut album could pass for a rediscovered lost recording from that era. With their own personalities stamped all over their work, the band channels the spirit of Earth Wind & Fire, Sly Stone, Todd Rundgren and dozens of others. The Connecticut and NYC-based three piece will play The Knitting Factory in Williamsburg on December 14 and then embark on an Australian tour. – Read Dean Van Nguyen’s feature on the band here.

Chicago

Josh Caterer’s Performance Postponed

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Josh Caterer’s solo performance at Schubas on December 14th was postponed due to a death in his family. It has been rescheduled for Monday, December 19th. Josh will perform songs from his new original Christmas EP as well as lots of other great stuff. Also appearing will be Cory Brannon, Dave Hause & Curtis Evans.

Philadelphia

Last Cannons Show Before Brief Hiatus at JR’s Dec. 16

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Local party rockers Cannons are throwing down for one last time tonight at JR’s before taking a brief hiatus in 2012. “They have received a federal grant to research the drinking and migration habits of the North American yak and will take the next 2 ½ months figuring out what to wear.” Actually, they’ll be finishing up work on a new EP entitled Sharing is Gangsta while drummer Ian Kiesel heads to Hawaii on a vision quest and guitarist Adam Riggar and his wife have their first child. Cannons will be joined this evening by Thinking Machines and Hello Radio. JR’s, 22nd and Passyunk, 8pm, $5, 21+ – Alexis V.

Chicago

Shiloh and Oshwa Release Show

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This Sunday at The Spaceship two local bands will be celebrating releases. Oshwa is the musical outlet for the dynamic Alice Walter. Their new ep is called Thanksgiving EP, and is somewhere between tUnE-yArDs and Jose Gonzalez. Shiloh is thrashing-folk, if that is possible, and began putting demo up on bandcamp back in March.

You can catch these two with Nashville’s Couched and Nebraska’s Universe Contest on Sunday, Dec. 18th at 7:30 at The Shaceship (1804 S. Racine Ave. FOURTH FLOOR).

NYC

Weekly Feature: Outernational play Bowery Electric on 12.26

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Outspoken and outstanding, the ensemble of NYC based musicians known as Outernational reaches out to reggae, ska, punk, dub, polka, mariachi, hip-hop, and world music, to implement their “radical vision for the future of a world without borders,” a stance that has continued to blossom since their first EP, “Eyes on Fire” and only becomes stronger as the band’s grabbing music and message recruit fans and followers. After playing on of The Deli’s CMJ show in October, the band – which will release atheir debut full length in early 2012 – will again entartain their NYC fans with a show at Bowery Electric on December 26. – Read Meijin Bruttomesso Q&A with the band here.

NYC

The Majorleans release “Deli powered” single + play Mercury on 12.20

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It’s always rewarding when we see results coming out of something we initiated, isn’t it? NYC rockers The Majorleans won our Artist of the Month Poll a few months ago, and with it they won some free studio time at Grand Street Recording, which they used to record this new single called "Hard Enough" (streaming below). Well done band and studio people! Go check out these guys at The Mercury Lounge on December 20.

Philadelphia

In the Indiestry: YVYNYL/Small Plates Records’ Mark Schoneveld

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The music industry has always been dictated by a bevy of tastemakers – one way or another. Back in the day, the gatekeepers who decided if a performer would make it in the biz were usually music executives who managed to maneuver through and survive the shark-infested waters of the industry. However, as we have learned especially in more recent times, those in charge of making the big decisions probably had/have more business sense than actual taste and passion for music. Well, the music industry is at a very interesting crossroads now with the interweb evening out the once very slanted playing field. The suits with the big expense accounts aren’t the only people holding the keys to the gate for young artists to make it onto the big stage. Instead, you’ll find a bunch of them climbing the walls with a boost from a new generation of passionate music lovers who are using and evolving with modern day technological advances to change the archaic ways of a truly flawed system. One such self-professed “music nerd” is music blogger (YVYNYL) and indie record label co-owner (Small Plates Records) Philly’s own Mark Schoneveld. We recently had a chance to pick the brain of the tall, bearded art and social media loving all-around good dude about the past, present, and future of music as well as some personal stories from his life that helped to make him who he is today. You can read all about it in our interview with Schoneveld HERE.

NYC

Royal Baths move to NYC + announce release of “Better Luck Next Life”

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What’s about NYC that attracts dark and droney indie bands? Is it its cold and dark winter? Or maybe (more likely) Lou Reed and Sonic Youth’s legacy? Royal Baths, after signing with Brooklyn based label Kanine, took a leap from one side of the country (San Fran) to the other, and The Deli is happy to welcome them to the Big Apple. Paying homage to various psych-rock and new wave icons like Syd Barret, Joy Division, Spacemen 3 and at time even Jefferson Airplane, their music – notwithstanding an underpinning melodic element – ranges from the seriously depressed to the invasively distorted, overall always keeping in line with tasteful lo-fi aesthetics.

MP3: Royal Baths – "Darling Divine"

 

NYC

Interview with Pressure Theif: DC Deli’s Band of the Month (December)

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DC’s experimental trip-hop project Pressure Theif is the sole creation of Geoff Simons who likes to "wail on a mic and bang out chords on a guitar." And he does it well- with a discography of 4 EPs put out this year alone! No wonder he was our most recent poll winner for Band/Artist of the month. Relatively new to the scene as a solo project, we wanted to find out more about Pressure Theif, so we got in touch with Geoff who tells us about love for his hometown, seeing the Pixies, and his first band- 2214. Onto the interview…

Pressure Theif just released his 4th EP, The Tourist, which you can check out below.

Philadelphia

The War on Drugs/Nightlands’ Dave Hartley Has a New NBA Column for Impose Magazine

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We admit that with all the overpriced players and seemingly lack of heart in professional basketball, we have lost touch with what has been going on with the NBA over the years. Right now college basketball and March Madness is where it’s at for us when it comes to hoops. But local NBA enthusiast Dave Hartley (Nightlands/The War on Drugs) has a new NBA column called "Death Dunk" for Impose Magazine that might fuel the fire that we once had for the game (or at least provide us with some moments of entertainment and facts that we can use in quizzo). Check out his most enjoyable inaugural posting entitled “9 Head-Scratching Hoops Wikipedia Entries” HERE. Congrats Dave on a job well-done!

NYC

Bands Bring Holiday Spirit to The Crocodile Tonight

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The Crocodile will play host to a lineup of local indie bands for a holiday cover show tonight, featuring the talents of Kris Orlowski, Eternal Fair, Exohxo, the First Times and Elk and Boar. Advocate for the everyman, Orlowski has taken to the stage around town following the late November release of his newest four-song album, Warsaw. The EP builds on the songwriting of last year’s full-length, Happiness is Waiting, which succeeded two previous albums (including a Christmas album to mark last year’s holiday season). Orlowski will apply his skills to some holiday classics again this evening, and is set to play a sold-out show at the Neptune on Jan. 4, along with Allen Stone.

Jingle Bell Indie Rock Holiday Cover Show

Doors: 8 p.m.

Tickets: $10

21+

-Kate Shepherd