During the fierce storms that hit NYC this past Sunday, a man was struck by lightning at Marine Park in Brooklyn where his cricket game was just getting underway. Apparently the strike was really intense, and it sent him up into the air and shredded the pants and hat that he was wearing (one team member, as an aside, proudly noted that his team shirt was intact). The man, a construction worker from East Flatbush named Patrick Gibson, 41, went into cardiac arrest from the shock. Luckily, paramedics were able to resuscitate him and he is now listed in critical condition at Beth Israel Hospital. As worst fear scenarios go, this one is up there, and I hope that he pulls through.
By a strange coincidence, over the weekend I started to read a new book by Joseph O’Neill, Netherland, part of which is about the subculture of cricket players in New York and the sense of community that they find with each other despite their many cultural differences. It is a great read so far and it has been widelycritically praised (even Obama is reading it). Judging by the different people on the scene when this incident occurred, it seems that the cultural melting pot portrayed in the book is true to life.
A fitting Jam when talking about lighting bolts (in no way intended to make light of the tragic incident), is the hot first single from the upcoming, self-titled full length from The Entrance Band, entitled “Lookout!”. The power-folk trio based in LA headlined the amazing-sounding (((folkYeah!))) Festival in the Forest in Big Sur, CA in September of last year. They are on tour now and will be in NYC and playing at Santos Party House on August 22nd. We’ll be on the “lookout” for it!
The Entrance Band – Lookout!:
The sound quality of this video is not the best so if you want to watch the video on mute and listen to the song below, that’s probably best.
One band that we really wanted to see play at the Siren Music Festival this year, but ended up missing (it’s hard to leave the VIP area and its free booze/food combo), is Frightened Rabbit. This indie outfit from Scotland currently consists of four members, although this number has grown over the band’s life thus far, starting with just Scott Hutchison on vocals and guitar, adding his brother, Grant, on drums and vocals, and later Billy Kennedy and Andy Monaghan, who both play keyboards, guitar, and bass.
One reason why I like them is that their name sounds suspiciously similar to one of my favorite bands, Modest Mouse. The other is that they’re making some pretty great music right now: their second, and most recent, release Midnight Organ Fightscored over an 8 rating from Pitchfork last year, and their live sound is so good that in May they released a live album, Quietly, Now, that is basically the same as Midnight Organ Fight only live, and mostly acoustic, and really really good.
Just so you don’t think I’m making this up, and also since we missed their set during Siren, here’s a video of Frightened Rabbit performing their song “Fast Blood” live at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago two days later. Can anyone else hear a little Braid in there?
Tomorrow the 9th Annual Village Voice Siren Music Festival will take over Coney Island with a free concert that includes a lineup of about 15 bands, culminating in sets by Built to Spill and Spank Rock at the Main Stage (on W. 10th St. off Surf Ave.) and the Stillwell Stage (Stillwell Ave. off Surf Ave.), respectively. There’s a great group of bands playing this year, so grab some sunscreen, your friends, and a beachball (these were a must-have item whenever the above picture from beatcrave.com was taken, apparently) and kick it in Coney Island all day. And given that Budweiser is sponsoring the Official After Party, I’m sure there will be lots of boozing in addition to the dancing. Doesn’t sound like a drag at all.
Here at ev2bk we’re especially excited to see/party with one of our favorite bands, and longtime buddies, Bear Hands, who are playing on the Stillwell Stage at 2:30pm sharp. Even the New York Metro is psyched (thanks Betsy)!
Bear Hands was formed back in 2006 when Dylan Rau was living in Brooklyn and asked Ted Feldman, Val Loper, and TJ Orscher to play on some demos that he was recording. Dylan was going to school with Ted at Wesleyan at the time, and already knew TJ and Val from the CT music scene (Val and TJ had been in CT hardcore band In Pieces, and had – if I remember correctly – played some shows with Dylan’s old band Building a Factory, but in any case, they knew each other well enough to have at least shared a bowl or whatnot). The general band-mythology is that during the recording sessions, all four guys sort of realized “hmm, maybe this could be a pretty kick-ass band” and so now they’re “doing the best they can” (from their myspace page).
But just in case you think this implies some sort of lack of ambition or luster, it should be noted that already in 2009 alone the boys have toured Europe twice:
Bear Hands @ Cargo in London (2/23/09)
Recorded some live tracks with Daytrotter after playing a few shows at SXSW in Austin (here’s my favorite of those songs):
“Belongings”
Totally killed it at a show with Passion Pit at Bowery Ballroom back in June:
Bear Hands at Bowery Ballroom (6/19/09)
And for the rest of the summer are all set to play Hartford with Airbourne Toxic Event, Boston with We Are Scientists, and both the Leeds Festival and Reading Festival in the UK later this August. Oh and did I mention that they are currently in the studio recording their first full-length record? Last week when I spoke with Dylan he told me that it was sounding pretty great so far; I’ll post an update after I listen to some of the tracks with him tonight in the studio.
We love this band, and think you will too! Each and every member of the band is the sweetest of dudes and would probably love to get to know you. So come join us and get your dance on with Bear Hands and the rest of the bands tomorrow at the Siren Music Festival. Here’s a little preview of the remix of the hotness from Bear Hands. The song, “What a Drag,” can be purchased as a 7″ import from Rough Trade Shops and Too Pure Records.
Tuesday night we checked out The New York Philharmonic performance in Central Park. Music Director Alan Gilbert lead the orchestra in Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 from the Jupiter cycle and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, during the first of the season’s concerts. It was a beautiful night and the Great Lawn was packed, but it was not until I was reading about it yesterday that I found out that there were an estimated 80,000 people there! Luckily there are lots of other concerts planned over the summer season in lots of boroughs, so you won’t have to travel too far to check them out.
But that’s not to say that you have to be in New York to enjoy the Phil. The president of the Philharmonic, Zarin Mehta, announced today that he and other Philharmonic officials planned to travel to Havana, Cuba tomorrow to investigate logistics and see if it will be feasible for them to accept Cuba’s invitation to perform there in the fall. The Philharmonic seems to be hoping to add another exotic and controversial destination to its touring season. In light of the recent US embargo lifting some travel restrictions to Cuba, the Philharmonic has already received licenses to travel there. This trip would come at the end of their Asian tour in October, during which they will visit Vietnam. And you may recall that last year they were the first major orchestra to ever travel to the dictatorial, and exceedingly isolated, North Korea. As Gilbert explained to the Times, the trip would be a nonpolitical “cultural exchange,” explaining, “I think that music really does speak for itself.” Let’s hope that music continues to transcend borders more and more in the years to come.
Returning to more U.S.-related “Havana” news, a new album entitled Havana Winter by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Kevin Hearn will be released here on July 28th. Hearn is best known as a skilled multi-instrumentalist in the platinum-selling pop band, Barenaked Ladies. Hearn, a classically trained pianist, has pursued a parallel solo career path for some time now, and this will be his 5th solo album. As a solo artitst, his songs continue to be introspective, and are framed by gentle, seductive melodies and charmingly subtle vocals.
On Havana Winter, he is joined by Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Mary Margaret O’Hara, John McDermott, and Chantal Kreviazuk. Hearn is performing tonight at the Mercury Lounge with his band, Thin Buckle. If you’re feeling like easing into your weekend on a mellow note, you should check them out.
Last Thursday, Brooklyn band, Hollands played a midnight show at Fontana’s. I got to sit down with the lead singer and guitarist, John-Paul Norpoth, before the show. Norpoth shared his ruminations on their first EP, Faces, now available on iTunes, and the band’s focus on the September release of their second EP, Mother.
Norpoth is the only current band member who contributed to Faces. He wrote it in ’03 and ’04 and recorded it from ’05 to ’07. It was originally a side project that he worked on while he was in the band Butane Variations. Although proud of the record, Norpoth seemed anxious to move away from it and eager to concentrate on the new direction that the band is taking with their sound. He described Faces as being “dated stylistically” in comparison to where their sound is now. Revtone Digital Music, an online distributor, was the driving force behind the release of Faces, though Norpoth was at times hesitant about the delayed release of his old material when the band is so focused on the new.
There are four core members of the band, John-Paul Norpoth on guitar and vocals, Jim Robertson on bass, Jannina Barefield on violin, and Kenny Grohowski on drums. Barefield was not in attendance at the performance, leaving it to the three boys to put on the show. Norpoth has a classical music background; he studied at the New School with all of his current bandmates. Norpoth and Barefield sometimes play smaller duo gigs minus the drum and bass. Additional jazz and string musicians frequently join the core band members, to create what Norpoth described as their desired “broad musical sound.” Norpoth explained, “In addition to our rhythm section, sometimes we play with an organist/pianist and three string players… The band can grow to be quite large. The songs work in all settings and I guess I like to fit the venue with whatever seems necessary.” For the intimate space at Fontana’s, the three-person band was just the right fit.
After performances by experimental ambient-rock band Venice is Sinking, and urban-Americana band And The Revelers Fell, the headliners of the evening, Hollands, took the stage just after midnight. They opened with an energetic drum-driven cover of Gillian Welch’s “Look at Miss Ohio.” “Over and Out,” from Faces, a rollicking rock jam, kept the energy high while Norpoth reassured the crowd, “It’s late but we’re going to keep you up.” Later in the set, they slowed things down with the sonic, rock-a-billy jam “Lungs of Steele,” showcasing Norpoths’ melancholy, wistful vocals, but kicked it back into high gear when Grohowski started “Strong Arm” with a rhythmic punch, and they really hit their stride. Despite a broken string and guitar switch before the more delicate “Coughing Boy,” they picked it up in the second half when Robertson’s memorable bass line came in and led into another standout track “Goldie Hawn.” They closed the show with the psychedelic, airy, “Air Conditioned Heart,” a perfect song to enjoy on a long summer night.
Check out a couple of the songs from Faces here:
Strong Arm:
Coughing Boy:
You can preview more of their upcoming stuff on their myspace page.
Hollands has a sound that is simultaneously nostalgic, current, and timeless. They span musical styles and decades with influences as varied as classical music, Wilco, the Flaming Lips, and Paul Simon. On “Air Conditioned Heart” Norpoth’s wronged, bluesy vocals are featured on a folk-rock track that sounds like the Grateful Dead and Arcade Fire joined forces. Hollands is a band to watch. We are looking forward to the September release of Mother, and, having heard just the trio, I’m anxious to check them out when they have a fuller band.
They are touring in upstate New York for the rest of the month before they return to perform at Pete’s Candy Store on August 21st.
After the sun had set tonight, a spontaneous song broke out in celebration of both the incredible sky and the grilled swordfish. So instead of a Jam of the Day, we offer you an ev2bk first: an original Jam of the Night, recorded live this evening here on Block Island with a group of family and friends (tentative group name: Bear Collective) and posted for your entertainment. We hope it’s as enjoyable to you listening as it was for us making it!
East Village to Brooklyn 