Weird Diner

It looks like Weird Diner has been pretty busy with the Pregnant label. There's quite a few new album releases. Just sayin'.

JH

Richard Lloyd

Former Television guitarist Richard Lloyd returns to Cafe Nine with his band The Sufimonkeys on April 18th. M.T. Bearington opens.

~photo by Godlis


LOCATION:
Cafe Nine
250 State Street
New Haven CT
$10 9pm 21+

DIRECTIONS: Click here

A reminder that this show is coming up.

Parasol Records will be releasing a new album of Hendrix covers by Richard later this year entitled The Jamie Neverts Story. Liner notes will cover Richard's relationship with Velvert Turner and Jimi Hendrix. Though the CD won't be officially released until August or September, Richard will have finished CDs available for purchase at the show.

JD

Alli Millstein

If delicate and searching folk warms your heart, but you want something more compelling than the usual singer/songwriter fare, take the time to check out Connecticut's Alli Millstein. At only 21, she has already sailed well past affectation towards the deeper waters of song craft and poetry.

It's Millstein's attention to detail that truly sets her apart. Her tune "Skeletons" in particular, with its bendy drones and bursts of buzz, or the touch of slide on "Our Love is Underground", signal that she knows what's up. And it seems that she is destined to soon deliver the kind of intensity that Ellen McIlwaine poured from her soul over thirty years ago. For now, think of Alli Millstein as the little wooden match that's about to light a bonfire. Stick around and watch her grow.

JD

Suburban Home Records Tour

Tuesday, April 21 2009



Tim Barry
Austin Lucas
Josh Small
Haunted Continents

LOCATION:
Cafe Nine
250 State Street
New Haven CT

$8 - 8:00PM - 21+

DIRECTIONS:
Click here

BUY TICKETS NOW:
Click here

Don't miss the chance to see some great musicians on April 21st at Cafe 9. This is the Suburban Home Records tour, featuring a blend of old meets new with the booming sounds of rock, bluegrass, folk and country all coming together into one tiny venue. Before hearing about this show I didn't know anything about these guys, and now I'm hooked. It seems like they're all ex-punks who traded in their boots for acoustic guitars, and the result is pretty awesome.

Tim Barry has been playing music for a long time with Avail, a punk band. Since 2004 he's been working on his solo career. He embarked on an insane amount of tour dates this month! The music is kind of a blending of Americana music with punk and hardcore sensibilities, it's a real interesting listen. Barry's music is really intense, fun and energetic. He's got some really great tunes on his Myspace page, so check it out.

Austin Lucas has a great voice, and sprinkles in lots of bluegrass licks. His music is the perfect blend of contemporary and old-timey. It doesn't really fit any mold, and seems to rise above any classifications. He's got an album coming out soon, and I can't really describe to you how beautiful it is.

Josh Small's drawl calls to you, and invites you to hear his story. Musically there's a lot of banjo, complex guitar work, and a dash of New Orleans here and there. I'm really digging it, and I'm sure it's an even better live show. With songs like "Boozin Susan" and "Knife in my Belly" how can you go wrong?

Local band Haunted Continents is apparently a side project of Call it Arson. I don't know much more than what Myspace and his website gives me, but the one song on there is great.

Anyway, it should be a killer show. It seems like Manic is getting some really great stuff into our tiny state these days!

JH

Dinosaur Jr. & Awesome Color this week!

Wednesday, April 1 2009


LOCATION:
Daniel Street
21 Daniel Street
Milford CT

$22 ($20 adv) - 8:00PM - All Ages

DIRECTIONS:
Click here

BUY TICKETS NOW:
Click here

Dinosaur Jr. are throwing a tasty bone to show goers for this one. Check it out: For the fortunate fans who score tickets, you will also receive either a limited edition, tour-only 7" or a digital download code with the purchase of a ticket. The songs on this 7" and digital download were recorded live during a Pitchfork.tv feature at J Mascis' own Bisquiteen Studios, currently running on Pitchfork.tv. The A-Side is a new track entitled "I Don't Want To Go There" while the B-Side is a revisited classic "Tarpit" from "You're Living All Over Me. Jagjaguwar

Awesome Color
Since bringing their psyched-out howling hurricane of rock to the East Coast from their native Michigan, Awesome Color has been steadily expanding their rainbow-colored, twirling fog of pounding-yet-druggy rock to encapsulate the world in a synesthetic happening of pure consciousness and mad love. This is NOT stoner rock, this is fucking tripping balls rock, a music conjuring the unique combination of revelation, hallucination, and fun-into-insanity of the psychedelic experience. In that vein, AC bring in saturated psychedelia and even some bouncy garage rockiness enough to call to mind their fellow Michigan natives Iggy Pop and The MC5. The one of the loudest journeys into the center of your mind you're likely to hear-see-smell-taste-inhale this year. Ecstatic Peace

JD

Pains of Being Pure At Heart this month!

Friday, April 24 2009



Wallingford American Legion
190 Ward Street
Wallingford CT

$8 - 7:00PM - All Ages

DIRECTIONS:
Click here

BUY TICKETS NOW:
Click here

You've probably heard by now that Manic Productions has locked down the line up for the The Pains of Being Pure at Heart show.

Joining them are Stephen Broadsky, formerly of Cave In, but who is now a solo artist on Hydra Head Records. And the local opener is the indie pop band The Inclined Plane. Check out Tweefort's blog for a little more info on these guys.

The outpouring of enthusiasm and support for this show has been coming from all corners of Connecticut. Everyone seems to be chipping in to get you lazy bums out to this show. And hey, it's all ages, so you can even bring grandma too.

JD

Asobi Seksu, a secret, and Watcher

Tuesday, March 31 2009 - Local Takeover and Manic Productions Presents:
Asobi Seksu w/Team Boo & Watcher




LOCATION:
Daniel Street
21 Daniel Street
Milford CT

$10 - 9:00PM - 21+

DIRECTIONS:
Click HERE

BUY TICKETS NOW:
Click HERE



Asobi Seksu
“This Brooklyn group’s previous albums established them as shoegaze confectioners, molding candy swirls out of Yuki Chikudate’s soaring, translucent voice and guitarist James Hanna’s Kevin Shields–worshiping production. But here, Asobi Seksu do something My Bloody Valentine can’t — leave Shields behind. “Sing Tomorrow’s Praise” and “Me & Mary” evoke iciness over icing, with more expansive cool than insidious sweetness. And the duo’s seasick guitars (”Layers”), ethereal synths (”Gliss”), and Japanese lyricism (”Meh No Mae”) still provide plenty of geeky studio epiphanies.” - Spin
Polyvinyl Records

Team Boo
Fact: The Rolling Stones started off their Steel Wheels Tour with a secret show at Toad's Place back in '89. Fact: Team Boo is not The Rolling Stones.

Watcher
When I last saw Watcher, they were sounding somewhere between Roxy Music, Joy Division, Lou Reed, and even Bauhaus, just without any of the glam theatrics. Interpol might be the better comparison now. But all comparisons are ultimately insufficient in describing this genre-bending rock band.

JD

Wooden Birds & La Strada

Sunday, April 19, 2009 - at BAR:

WOODEN BIRDS w/LA STRADA

~photo: Aubrey Edwards

LOCATION:
BAR
254 Crown St
New Haven CT
FREE - 9:00PM - 21+

DIRECTIONS: Click here

Andrew Kenny went back to Austin, TX and started Wooden Birds. They are Neil Young inspired, end of the day earnest, and a bone dry breeze. On Barsuk. Opening is La Strada. Their most obvious comparison is to Beirut, but equally obvious is that they blow Beirut out of the water. They're an indie folk gypsy pop band that groggily got up early out of a Sergei Parajanov directed dream to sing up the sun and to lure all the rats into the sea. Their self-titled EP is out on Ernest Jenning Record Co.

JD

Tweefort's First

Thursday, Mar 19, 2009 - Strega w/Color Change at Cafe 9




LOCATION:
Cafe Nine
250 State Street
New Haven CT
$4 10pm 21+

DIRECTIONS: Click here

Booking newcomers Tweefort deliver a coup de grâce to the last of winter. Here's what they've rolled out:

Brooklyn-based indie band Strega will perform Thursday, March 19 at Cafe Nine. Joining Strega will be Bloomfield, CT-based indie band Color Change. Strega — currently signed to Miami, FL label Cloudberry Records — cites such bands as New Order, The Smiths, Depeche Mode, The Wake and The Shins as influences on their new wave/ electro-pop sound. The band includes Stephen Vesecky — previously of the band Poundsign — with Liz Wilcox on keyboards, Kyona Watts on bass and vocals, James Bell on drums and “JP,” also on drums. Strega recently released a Christmas single, “When the Stars are Shining Bright at Christmastime,” on the Cloudberry Records EP, “Last Train to Christmas.” Cloudberry Records also released Strega’s 3-song single. The band is continually writing music and will release an album on Nebraska-based label Series Two Records. Indie band Color Change is a local guitar and drum duo. They cite pop and folk acts as influences, but say they are also often compared to rock and noise acts such as Lightning Bolt. Color Change has played with such bands as Future Islands, Daniel Striped Tiger, Talk Normal and Chiaroscuro, to name a few. A fairly new band, Color Change has brought a lot of attention to the Bloomfield indie scene. For more information about Strega: CLICK. For more information about Color Change: CLICK. For more information please visit Tweefort on MySpace or on FaceBook at CLICK.

JD

Greg Ginn

Greg Ginn played the B & G Lounge Saturday night. Yes, Greg Ginn formerly of Black Flag. "Huh?" was my reaction, too.

Hey, B & G, why so quiet? What else has been going on over there that you're not sharing?

Proof that vintage rockers can age well:

JD

Show Opening

Last minute opening for a show at The Space:


Anyone who's excited to play a last last minute $5 show TOMORROW Sunday March 15th--shoot an email to booking@thespace.tk!

That is all!

Naomi Sommers at Café 9

Naomi Sommers home-coming show and CD release concert!

Thursday, March 27th
show starts @ 8PM

Location:
Café 9,
250 State Street, New Haven


Connecticut native Naomi grew up in a home full of music and instruments, performing since middle school with her parents and brother in the Sommers Rosenthal Family Band. Over the years she has sung and played flute, banjo, and guitar on more than 15 records released on her father Phil’s independent American Melody label, and has recorded two albums under her own name, as well as one with old-time country slow-grass duo Gray Sky Girls.

This year Naomi has released an album recorded in Nashville, produced by the acclaimed musician/producer Jim Rooney (John Prine, Iris Dement, Nanci Griffith, Bonnie Raitt). Jim’s enthusiasm over Naomi’s songs and her voice prompted him to end a hiatus from the music business to make this record. The album was engineered by David Fergusson (Johnny Cash/Rick Rubin) and features a backup band of some of Nashville’s finest musicians. Naomi’s trusted family and friends traveled from New England to play on the record as well. She is thrilled to present the resulting collection of songs, the culmination of years of devotion to the craft of songwriting and to the merging of traditional and contemporary styles in American music.

JH

Shaki

There used to be weekly posts for Shaki on here when the blog first got going. Then stupid stuff preoccupied me and consequently nothing was being posted for a while. But nothing has been forgotten, especially not Shaki Presents. The thing is, it's easy to take Shaki for granted since there's almost always something outrageously sick happening there. Look, every Sunday night you spend brooding about having to get up early for work on Monday could be spent at Bar. Who needs to be wakeful and alert at work? Bah. Save your energy for important stuff, like live music. And Shaki delivers the goods.

Check out their calendar: CLICK

JD

This Sunday at BAR

Just a healthy reminder that this Sunday, March 15th, Shaki Presents:

Tall Firs - New York based band on the Ecstatic Peace! label. They title themselves as "New York City underground electronic folk" - sometimes wild, sometimes restrained, they are completely indescribable, but easily summed up in two words: damn good.

Atrina - if you don't know Atrina you haven't been reading this blog. Check out the official CT Indie interview here.

at

BAR
254 Crown Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511

Cost: This is a FREE show...
9pm, 21+

It should be an energy filled night. Did I mention this is a FREE show? No excuses, then.

JH

Blogzine

Came across a solid blog today: One Base on an Overthrow. It's not just local hoopla being covered, but plenty of mp3 vinyl tastings and diggings into the past. Closest thing I've seen online to a 'zine. Looking through the blog, I saw a few 7"s that I used to have but sold for way less than I should have when I never should have sold them in the first place. Thanks for reminding me about how stupid I am. Up yours, man.

JD

John Prine

If you haven't heard of John Prine, then shame on you. Prine is absolutely brilliant, a true musical force. His music is about as Americana as it gets: a blend of country, folk, and bluegrass. I've been spinning his self-titled 1971 LP since I dug it up at a garage sale a couple of years ago, and never looked back. He's got a ton of material, and everything I've heard has been fantastic.

Playing with him is the excellent guitar player Jason Wilber, who is actually giving away a free CD (just pay shipping) right now on his website. It features a duet with John Prine, so head over there to check it out. It should be a really great show, so don't miss this one. It's a long ways away, but tickets go on sale this week. It might sell out, Prine is popular. You've been warned.

JOHN PRINE

with special guest
JASON WILBER

Friday May 8
8PM

SHUBERT THEATER
247 College Street , New Haven

TICKETS $50 & $40

Tickets are on sale Friday March 13 at 10AM. Tickets at shubert.com, call 800-228-6622 or visit the Shubert Box Office.

JH

This Sunday, March the 8th, get down to The Space to get your face melted by These Arms Are Snakes. If you don't know, These Arms Are Snakes are a great hardcore band from Seattle. Really asskicking stuff, so get down there. Also joining them is Cali-based Darker My Love - a wild 60s-inspired psych band, the fantastic mind-bending All The Saints from Alabama, and local rockers The Lows, who I know relatively little about, but have some great songs on Myspace.

These Arms Are Snakes
Darker My Love
All The Saints
The Lows

The Space
295 Treadwell Street
Hamden CT

$10 - 7:00PM - All Ages

Coordinated by the ever fantastic Manic Productions.

Here's a video clip for Darker My Love:

JH

Live Recording Series

WNPR's The Needle Drop to Premier Monthly Live Recording Series


WNPR’s weekly independent music program, The Needle Drop, will hold its first monthly live session on Monday, March 23rd at The Space in Hamden, CT.

The Needle Drop begins its live session series with the breakout indie band The Screaming Females. Their performance will be recorded in front of a live audience for air on the show.

Launching a monthly live series is "just another way to expose people to new music," says the show’s host, Anthony Fantano. Along with The Screaming Females, two Connecticut bands, Eula and Birth of Flower, will be performing. The Screaming Females will play first and take questions from Fantano in the midst of their set.

Fantano describes the Screaming Females as a return to the form of rock music: “[The] Screaming Females were never a band who looked to reinvent the wheel, but they're definitely a reminder of how awesome the wheel really is--especially when it's crushing everything in its post-punk path!”

Featured in the February edition of Connecticut Magazine, The Needle Drop is not just a Connecticut radio program. It’s now syndicated in Colorado, Montana, and Nebraska, reaching an audience far outside the boarders of the Constitution State.

The Needle Drop is produced by Anthony Fantano with support from WNPR in Hartford, CT. The show is supplemented by Fantano’s regularly updated blog at http://theneedledrop.blogspot.com.

The event takes place Monday March 23rd. Doors open at 6:30pm with the show starting at 7pm. Remember: The Screaming Females are on first. Tickets are eight dollars and can be purchased through The Space’s website at: http://www.thespace.tk/.
~Maria Carullo

JD

Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Unless you've gone into a coma of depression from this year's winter, you already know The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are coming to the Wallingford American Legion on April 24th. But what no one knows is who the opening bands will be. This great unknown has frustrated many in CT. Local bands have now taken to the streets across the state with switchblades, chains and baseball bats to settle the turf wars that will decide once and for all who gets to share the bill with POBPAH. Michael Jackson has been called in to mediate. True story.


In the meantime, you can check out this video The Needle Drop posted:





Friday, April 24 2009
Wallingford American Legion
190 Ward Street
Wallingford CT

$8 - 7:00PM - All Ages

DIRECTIONS:
Click here

BUY TICKETS NOW:
Click here

JD

Monday Punk

Monday, March 9th, 2009



Suzy Wong And The Honkeys smarmily stomped through Hartford not long ago, and I thought, awesome, punk's not dead. Then I got a message this morning about this show, and guess what, punk can still kill.

Masshysteri (Sweden, members of the Vicious/Regulations, Dangerhouse-influenced 70's punk, Feral Ward Records)

Whitework (Hartford/New Haven/Brooklyn, 1st show. Ex. Guilty Faces, Dustheads, Tombstone Minds, River City Rebels. Melodic punk/rock and roll/garage). No website yet, but their self description is "Fourth-rate 70's punk riffs primarily written by some douchebag who used to play in screamo bands."

Al Gore and the Alcoholics (Suburban CT young skate punks).

$4
8pm
Whitney House Hartford

JD

Flowery

MySpace is pure rubbish. It was such a chore today to update a few minor things, and there's getting to be more and more trouble it seems. Now that I have that off of my chest...

One of the friend requests that came in was from a band called Birth of Flower. And of course their MySpace page is "undergoing routine maintenance." But being the Sherlockian mystery solver that I am, I discovered Birth of Flower is the new moniker for Post-Modern Sounds.

So, you see Dr. Watson, Birth of Flower is likely to be quite good.

JD