Reggie and the Full Effect rolled into town at Chicago’s House of Blues for part of what is being called his “Final Tour.” Whether this is fact or merely a ploy to get the kids to come out to the shows is definitely on the minds of dedicated Reggie fans. If the latter proves to be true, Chicago fans get a F-, as ticket sales were quite poor.
One of the most enjoyable elements on Ezra Furman & the Harpoons’ first album, 2007’s Banging Down the Doors (Minty Fresh), is Ezra’s sense of command and almost cocky delivery in each and every tune. The mind evokes a charismatic, unforgiving front man ready to take on anything thrown at him.
The Adventures in Modern Music Festival, presented by uber hip UK magazine Wire, is a name far better suited to a PBS special than a five day event showcasing experimental and rising stars from home and across the pond. This annual event ran from Wed 9/10 -15 at Chicago’s excellent Empty Bottle, and the whole event was understated, modest, and all about the music, with zero commercial interference.
I adored Waxie Moon the minute I met him. He is one of the people, along with Indigo Blue and Paula the Swedish Housewife, who makes Seattle feel like my home away from home. And he’s in the news!
Inspired by a story in the L.A. Weekly, detailing Maureen Yancey’s (a.k.a Ma Dukes) dedication to her ailing son, producer and hip hop luminary J Dilla who passed away from a rare blood disease in 2006, Orlando’s Solillaquists of Sound have announced the release of “Death of The Muse.” The track, which features J Live, Chali 2na and Ma Dukes, will be available to fans through online merchant Insound for a minimum donation of $2.
Mention Patrick Bower and chances are few will know the name. After all, his recent self-released album Beach Closed is his first solo outing. His story, though, begins ten years ago while still living in Bloomington, IN and later, Indianapolis, fronting the shamefully overlooked Even Homer Nods (later shortened to The Nods). After a botched East Coast tour due to the tour van nearly exploding, he relocated to Brooklyn and shortly thereafter began his current project, The World Without Magic.
Chicago’s Riot Fest has just gotten even more riotous! The annual punk festival has recently added Philadelphia hardcore quartet Paint it Black and a rare appearance from influential pop-punk group Big Drill Car to the 2008 edition of their annual festival taking place October 10-12.
On November 4, Drew Andrews, best known as guitarist/keyboardist with San Diego ambient post-rock crew, The Album Leaf, will release an his debut solo album, Only Mirrors on Minty Fresh. In preparation for the record’s release , Andrews will play a string of West Coast dates with Magnetic Morning (formerly The Setting Suns) featuring Swervedriver’s Adam Franklin and Interpol drummer Sam Fogarino.
It’s Gal Friday!
The Miss Coney Island Pageant of the Millenium is a burlesque of a beauty pageant with sideshow performers and burlesque dancers. The first one was created by Bambi the Mermaid, co-producer of the Burlesque at the Beach series, and of course she won, and received her crown while all the rest of us had a catfight on the stage behind her.
Sonic Youth have turned heads once again when they announced they will release a new album, their 16th full-length, on mega-indie Matador Records in 2009. The record, which they will begin recording this fall, will mark their first album the four-piece has put out on an independent label since signing with Geffen Records in 1990.
Wilkes-Barre, PA’s An Albatross has leaked their latest single “Floodgates Released,” off of their upcoming second album, An Albatross Family Album, out October 21 Via Eyeball Records. The five-piece has developed a steadily growing following due to their incendiary live shows and for their penchant for twisting noise-rock, punk, and jazz into a glittery, psychedelic circus. Check out the link below, or hear it in the always fabulous ALARM Magazine Playlist.