For those of you out there in young bands, here’s a lesson from Val Loper of Bear Hands on how to chug a beer onstage and still be on point with your bass line entrance:
Check out the whole clip for “High Society” on the EV2BK.com YouTube channel.
-Drew
Filed under Music, Performance, video
There are still tons of shows left this weekend as part of CMJ, so go check out some new bands and dance with somebody! Here’s some inspiration.
Shout out to my boy Burke for getting this song in my head this morning.
Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance with Somebody:
If you want to hang out with us tonight, come check out Beast and Red Wire Black Wire for the AM Only Showcase at The Studio at Webster Hall! RWBW just got back from being on tour and are celebrating the release of their great new record Robots & Roses, out now on Tough Customer Records, so it should be a fun time.
Or hit up the Cantora Records show at Bowery Electric around the corner, where we’ll be catching a set from Bear Hands later on.
Have a great weekend everybody!
-Drew
Filed under Jam of the Day, Music
Fashion's Night Out 2009 Banner on 30 Rock
We were excited to see Bear Hands play a show since their return from across the pond a few days ago, and they seem to have benefitted from the time on the road, as last night’s show at Rockefeller Center for Fashion’s Night Out 2009 was extra tight. It may have been the setting, but it seemed like Dylan, Ted, T.J. and Val were ready for the big time (and maybe some models? just kidding, gfs). Luckily, we were recording when they started in on a relatively new song, “Belongings,” and are dropping that exclusive shit once again. I can’t wait for this record.
Bear Hands – Belongings (Live at Rockefeller Center, 9/10/09):
Here are a few more photos from the show as well, just ’cause we love Bear Hands like that:
-ev2bk
Tonight marks the first night of Fashion Week in NYC. In a bid to make it all seem a little less incongruous to be flaunting terribly expensive, high-fashion clothing and attending exclusive VIP events in the midst of a recession, the first night this year is being billed as Fashion’s Night Out, an event conceived by American Vogue, NYC & Company, the City of New York, and the Council of Fashion Designers of America “to enliven again the consumer spirit that churns the economy and boosts the local industry of America’s fashion capital, New York City.” The main point of the evening, of course, is to get people excited to spend money on fashion (and then actually part with the cash), and about 700 retailers and designers across New York City are confirmed participants in the event. These stores will stay open until 11:00 PM, and have been encouraged to provide “creative customer experiences” for everyone walking around and enjoying the fashion. Maybe you’ll see Diddy! Or Anna Wintour! But probably not.
As part of all the festivities this evening, one of our favorite bands, Bear Hands, will be playing a free show tonight in Rockefeller Center, right where the tree usually goes. The show kicks off at 6:30 with a set from Savoir Adore, and Bear Hands goes on last, from 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM.
Joining the line-up, and hitting the stage at 7:45 PM, are Cincinnati-based “art-pop” foursome Pomegranates. Their music has been described online as hinting at early Modest Mouse or Death Cab for Cutie (the later seems more relevant), but they sort of sound more like American Football or early Piebald to these old-emo-loving ears. No matter how you slice it (it’s a fruit, get it?!), I’m definitely feeling this band. And from what I can hear online, they sounds great live. Check out their session at Daytrotter and you’ll hear what I mean. So come on out tonight and support some great bands (and fashion)!
If you aren’t able to make it to Rockefeller Center by 7:45, don’t fret! Pomegranates are also playing tonight at Bruar Falls, in Williamsburg, around 10:00 PM, and at Union Hall, in Park Slope, tomorrow night.
The jam today is a live video of the band playing “In the Kitchen,” from their debut LP, Everything Is Alive, released in May, 2008. Their most recent release was this spring’s Everybody, Come Outside!.
Pomegranates – In the Kitchen:
-Drew
Filed under Event, Jam of the Day, Music
Backstage at Stillwell @ Siren Music Festival
I’m not sure how many of you made it to Coney Island for the Siren Music Festival last weekend but, if you did come, hopefully you made it there by 2:30pm, when Bear Hands played. It was such a great day to be outside drinking some beers and enjoying live music! Bear Hands played a pretty tight set, including the song “Frank” that they hadn’t played in a while, and all the regular favorites such as “Golden,” “Sickly Brunette,” and “Can’t Stick Em” before they finished up with a spontaneous-crowd-hand-clap-backed version of “What a Drag.”
Bear Hands @ Siren Music Festival 2009 (7/18/09)
What was really interesting to me is that it seems like some of the songs – most notably “Frank” – have been re-tooled in the studio and are sounding really sleek and sing-along ready. I am expecting a fantastic reception to their full length (probably being released in late winter?), especially if this live show was a taste of things to come.
One of the most fun/funny moments of the show was when Dylan called Das Racist up on stage to perform a rendition of their unexpected hit “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell” over the band playing a live cover of Jay-Z’s “D.O.A.” and a hail of “Yeah”s, “Uh-huh”s, “No”s and the general histeria/noise that ensued. Fun times all around, although I wasn’t sure that the crowd really had any sort of idea what was going on.
On a side note, Das Racist is playing a show tonight at Union Pool with our friends The Tony Castles and IN, which should be a really hot sweaty time. Come join us!
There were a ton of great other performances over the course of the day, although we spent most of our time at the Stillwell Stage. But near the end of the night, as the sun set and the general revelry-level creeped up a notch, we made it over to the main stage to check out Built to Spill. They were awesome as always, and ended the festival on a perfect note, right next to the Wonder Wheel:
Wonder Wheel after dark
Good night, Brooklyn.
-Drew
Filed under Event, Jam of the Day
Beach Balls! Music! Fun Times!
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.
Bear Hands – What a Drag:
Have a great weekend!
-Drew
Filed under Jam of the Day, Music, Show
East Village to Brooklyn 