Spinner http://www.spinner.com Spinner http://www.spinner.com/media/feedlogo.gif Spinner http://www.spinner.com en-us Copyright 2013 Blogsmith, LLC. The contents of this headlines and excerpts feed are available for limited commercial distribution. You may repost this feed to your site provided you link back to the original story, do not edit the material, and do not remove this copyright notice. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ Lana Del Rey at Bowery Ballroom: New Songs, Technical Difficulties and Promise http://www.spinner.com/2011/12/06/lana-del-rey-live-bowery-ballroom/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/12/06/lana-del-rey-live-bowery-ballroom/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/12/06/lana-del-rey-live-bowery-ballroom/#comments Filed under: , ,


Peter Wafzig, Getty Images

The first thing we ever read about singer Lana Del Rey was from the blog Hipster Runoff. Suffice to say, it was not very nice: "At one point ... people were saying that [Del Rey's] 'Video Games' was the song of the year. However, now that we're done dragging her through the buzz mud, no1 [sic] even cares about her music any more and she has 0% artistic integrity. It is only a matter of time before she is a lamestream VH1 You Oughta Know Buzz Artist."

Quick Google searches of Del Rey will pull up a variety of reactions: Confusion, hatred, admiration and lust, all directed toward a 25-year-old aspiring star who has yet to release an album. But none of that seemed to bother Del Rey on Monday night, when she performed in front of a sold-out crowd at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City. ]]> Lana Del ReyLanaDelRey Alex Suskind 2011-12-06T10:37:00 00:00 Portishead Slay Longtime Fans at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom http://www.spinner.com/2011/10/05/portishead-hammerstein-ballroom/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/10/05/portishead-hammerstein-ballroom/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/10/05/portishead-hammerstein-ballroom/#comments Filed under: , ,


PortisheadJohn Minton

It had been 13 years -- more than a decade of fans hoping, wishing and waiting for the godfathers of trip-hop, Portishead, to return to the United States and tour. Sure, the British-based band headlined California's Coachella Festival back in 2008, but that didn't really count. No, what people wanted was an actual set of dates across the nation. Back in July, their wish was finally granted, when the band announced an abbreviated North American tour, which included stops in Mexico and Canada.

After kicking off the trip (and bringing the house down) at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in New Jersey over the weekend, the group made their triumphant return to New York City last night at Manhattan's Hammerstein Ballroom. While the stop in New York wasn't technically their first destination of the tour, the general anticipation and thunderous applause throughout the set made it feel like it was. ]]> Portishead Alex Suskind 2011-10-05T13:00:00 00:00 Donald Glover Aims to 'Prove' Himself as a Rapper With Live Shows, Upcoming LP http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/28/donald-glover-childish-gambino/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/28/donald-glover-childish-gambino/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/28/donald-glover-childish-gambino/#comments Filed under: , , ,


FilmMagic

There's Donald Glover the comedian, the one from NBC's hit show 'Community.' Then there's Donald Glover the rapper, the one with clever lyrics and catchy beats.

A comedian trying to rap sounds like a gimmick, but contrary to popular belief, not all actors who try to rap are terrible. Want proof? Listen to Childish Gambino's latest album, 'Culdesac.' Haven't heard of him? Then you may know him by another name: Donald Glover.

Why the alias (which he got from an online Wu-Tang Clan name generator)? Well, if you heard a comedian was releasing a hip-hop album, would you take it seriously? Glover knows you wouldn't, which is one of the reasons you may also be hard-pressed to find featured guests on his upcoming self-produced album, due out this fall. ]]> Childish GambinochildishgambinoDonald Gloverdonaldglover Alex Suskind 2011-07-28T13:00:00 00:00 Mavis Staples Joined by Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller at Bonnaroo http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/12/mavis-staples-bonnaroo-2011-review/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/12/mavis-staples-bonnaroo-2011-review/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/12/mavis-staples-bonnaroo-2011-review/#comments Filed under: ,


Mavis StaplesErika Goldring, WireImage

The words "Bonnaroo" and "church" don't exactly go together, a fact acknowledged by Mavis Staples during her early afternoon set on Sunday, the last day of the festival. But that was not going to damper the 72-year-old songstress' good mood.

"This is the closest you are going to get to church today... Amen," shouted Staples in her smoky growl of a voice, which the crowd ate up within seconds of her first song.

The hour-and-a-half long set featured tracks off her latest album, 'You Are Not Alone,' along with a number of old classics. Watching Staples power through songs like 'The Weight" and 'Wade in the Water' is quite a sight, as the audience hangs on to her every syllable, singing along and dancing effortlessly. And to show that the iconic singer doesn't need to fall back on her older, more popular tracks, she decided to bust out new material from the Jeff Tweedy-produced album she released last year. While less recognizable to her earlier hits, they still pack a punch of soul and kept the crowd moving the entire time. ]]> BonnarooBonnaroo2011Mavis StaplesMavisStaples Alex Suskind 2011-06-12T16:55:00 00:00 Buffalo Springfield Have Their 'Greatest' Night Ever at Bonnaroo 2011 http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/12/buffalo-springfield-bonnaroo-2011-review/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/12/buffalo-springfield-bonnaroo-2011-review/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/12/buffalo-springfield-bonnaroo-2011-review/#comments Filed under: ,


Buffalo Springfield perform at BonnarooJeff Kravitz, FilmMagic

"We're Buffalo Springfield. We're from the past!" shouted singer Richie Furay at the top of his lungs, when the recently reunited band took the main stage at Bonnaroo on Saturday night. And he was right: this band has been gone for a very, very long time. Their last studio album was released in 1968. It's been decades since their last tour. But that didn't matter for this show. No, at this performance, it sounded like the classic rock legends had never taken a forty-plus-year break.

Playing almost exclusively from their three studio albums -- 'Buffalo Springfield,' 'Buffalo Springfield Again,' and 'Last Time Around' -- the group sounded in sync the entire night; surviving Buffalo Springfield members Furay, Neil Young and Stephen Stills showed exactly why the group was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. From 'On the Way Home' to 'Flying on the Ground is Wrong' to 'Do I Have to Come Right Out and Say It,' they looked like they were having a blast up on stage, entertaining the tens of thousands that had come out to see them rock out. ]]> BonnarooBuffalo SpringfieldNeil YoungRichie FurayStephen Stills Alex Suskind 2011-06-12T02:07:00 00:00 My Morning Jacket Honored to Return to Bonnaroo, This Time on Main Stage http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/11/my-morning-jacket-bonnaroo-2011-review/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/11/my-morning-jacket-bonnaroo-2011-review/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/11/my-morning-jacket-bonnaroo-2011-review/#comments Filed under: ,


My Morning Jacket perform at BonnarooJason Merritt, Getty Images

My Morning Jacket released 'Circuital,' the band's sixth studio album, on May 31. So a headlining slot eleven days later at Bonnaroo for the festival's tenth anniversary couldn't have been more perfectly timed.

Frontman Jim James and company are certainly no strangers to the Tennessee farm. This year marks the Kentucky-based band's fifth appearance at the festival, and tonight's show was a perfect example why the group continues to get invited back. My Morning Jacket have made a name off their legendary live shows; powerful performances that display their unique mix of jam, southern and alternative rock. ]]> BonnarooJim JamesMy Morning Jacket Alex Suskind 2011-06-11T00:03:00 00:00 Rufus Wainwright Performs New Song at Hope North Benefit in New York http://www.spinner.com/2011/03/28/rufus-wainwright-hope-north-ping-pong-ball/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/03/28/rufus-wainwright-hope-north-ping-pong-ball/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/03/28/rufus-wainwright-hope-north-ping-pong-ball/#comments Filed under: , ,


Christie Goodwin, Redferns

Amidst the neon lights, ping-pong tables and celebrities at SPiN New York stood Rufus Wainwright and sister Martha, the words from 'In My Arms,' from Rufus' first album, echoing throughout the room as the audience soaked up every word. The captivating and emotional performance was a perfect ending for Sunday's Hope North Ping-Pong Ball, an event dedicated to social activism and increasing awareness for the cause of Hope North, a boarding school founded by artist and performer Okello Sam in northern Uganda. The school houses and educates escaped children soldiers, orphans and other young refugees.

Sam, a former child soldier himself, joined a musical guest list that included the Wainwrights, Josh Ritter, Jesse Malin and Charlie Mars, all of whom gave intimate and powerful performances in hopes of raising money for the school. ]]> joshritterMarthaMarthaWainwrightRufus Wainwrightrufuswainwright Alex Suskind 2011-03-28T12:00:00 00:00 Patti Smith, Flaming Lips and More Rock for Tibet House at Carnegie Hall http://www.spinner.com/2011/03/04/tibet-house-benefit-concert/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/03/04/tibet-house-benefit-concert/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/03/04/tibet-house-benefit-concert/#comments Filed under: ,


Samuel Dietz, Getty Images

There were no strobe lights, no smoke machines, no confetti guns or fans donning St. Nick hats, and there certainly wasn't a giant hamster ball (Wayne Coyne's favorite mode of concert transportation): all the things that made a Flaming Lips show a Flaming Lips show were absent. In the end, Coyne had just an acoustic guitar (albeit, in typical Lips fashion, with a translucent half-moon globe glued over the front of it) and a palpable tone of excitement and look of joy on his face. He was "thrilled" that his band was one of several big acts that were selected to perform at the 21st Annual Tibet House US Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall last night in New York City.

While the majority of the lineup wasn't what you'd consider typical "Carnegie material," the showmanship and raw talent was. Like past years, the roster for this year's show read like an outline of rock 'n' roll history: blues great Taj Mahal, alternative rock god Michael Stipe, punk icon Patti Smith, hip-hop pioneers the Roots and psych-rockers the Flaming Lips, all on the same bill. Accompanying them were other talented musicians, including the legendary composer, Philip Glass. ]]> Angelique KidjoflaminglipsMichael StipemichaelstipePatti SmithpattismithPhilip GlassRootsTaj Mahaltajmajalwaynecoyne Alex Suskind 2011-03-04T15:45:00 00:00 I Sat on the 'Jimmy Fallon' Band Bench (and Lived to Tell the Tale) http://www.spinner.com/2011/02/15/jimmy-fallon-band-bench/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/02/15/jimmy-fallon-band-bench/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/02/15/jimmy-fallon-band-bench/#comments Filed under: ,


Phantogram on 'Late Night With Jimmy Fallon'Lloyd Bishop, NBC

If you've watched 'Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,' you've almost certainly asked yourself the question. Getting tickets to sit in the audience is one thing, but what about those other seats - the ones where fans get to be onstage behind their favorite bands as they perform on national television?

Every late-night program has its own idiosyncrasies, but when it comes to music, 'Fallon' is steps ahead of the pack. The Roots as the show's house band is one example; the "Band Bench" (according to the website: "a special audience seating area set aside for HUGE fans of musical guests appearing on the show") is another. ]]> Late Night with Jimmy FallonLateNightWithJimmyFallonphantogram Alex Suskind 2011-02-15T17:30:00 00:00 Asobi Seksu Play Smoke-Filled Show at CMJ http://www.spinner.com/2010/10/24/asobi-seksu-live-cmj/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/10/24/asobi-seksu-live-cmj/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/10/24/asobi-seksu-live-cmj/#comments Filed under: ,


Asobi Seksu

It's difficult to experience the entire effect of a band heavily influenced by the shoegaze genre without going to see them live. Saturday's Asobi Seksu show at the Santos Party House in New York City was a perfect example. The harsh feedback and distortion from the guitars, the echoed drums and crashing cymbals, the trembling bass riffs and glistening synths are tough to replicate in full on a studio album. That's not to say that Asobi Seksu's records aren't a good representation of who they are as a band, but getting the music to actually shake your entire body is impossible when you are just listening to it on an iPod.

Finishing out the last night of this year's CMJ Music Marathon, Asobi Seksu played an explosive set of old favorites and new songs. Bathed in blue light, the band stepped out onstage and went right into 'Strawberries,' off their 2006 album, 'Citrus.' Although it would seem that the heavenly voice of lead singer Yuki Chikudate juxtaposed with the grinding guitars of James Hanna wouldn't work, it ended up having the complete opposite effect, making their shows an entertaining, interesting experience. ]]> Asobi SeksuasobiseksuCMJ Alex Suskind 2010-10-24T11:01:00 00:00 Nada Surf Rock Intimage Gig at CMJ -- Exclusive Photos http://www.spinner.com/2010/10/24/nada-surf-CMJ-pictures/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/10/24/nada-surf-CMJ-pictures/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/10/24/nada-surf-CMJ-pictures/#comments Filed under: ,


Nada Surf

New York City's Mercury Lounge has the feel of an unfinished basement, complete with brick walls, low lighting and concrete floors. Bands on the lineup are often forced to leave their gear piled up on the wall next to the crowd due to the venue's close quarters. All in all, it's a place that's known for hosting up-and-coming artists and not, say, veteran rock bands who have been around for the past 15 years.

Not that Nada Surf had been selling out big arenas prior to their headlining slot at Saturday night's Paradigm Showcase, which was part of the CMJ Music Marathon. However, with the huge turnout, they certainly could have benefited from a much larger space. ]]> CMJDepeche ModeDepecheModeGo-BetweensNada SurfNadaSurf Alex Suskind 2010-10-24T10:55:00 00:00 Miniature Tigers Keep 'Freebird' Jokes Alive at CMJ http://www.spinner.com/2010/10/20/miniature-tigers-live-CMJ/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/10/20/miniature-tigers-live-CMJ/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/10/20/miniature-tigers-live-CMJ/#comments Filed under: ,


Miniature Tigers

Screaming for song requests at concerts is nothing new -- sometimes bands play into them and sometimes they don't. At Tuesday night's Miniature Tigers show at Brooklyn's Music Hall of Williamsburg, 'Lolita,' 'Japanese Woman Living in My Closet' and 'Goldskull' -- all of which are off the group's latest album, 'Fortress' -- were among those yelled by a few of the fans in attendance.

Instead of playing into the crowd's demands, Tigers' lead singer Charlie Brand did them one better. "Next, we're going to play 'Freebird,'" he joked, referring to the old -- and extremely clichéd -- tradition of requesting the famed Lynyrd Skynyrd tune during concerts. Despite the southern rock reference, the band opted to perform their eerie folk track 'Dark Tower.' ]]> CMJKevin DevinekevindevineLynyrd SkynyrdLynyrdSkynyrdMiniature TigersminiaturetigersMorning BendersMorningBendersNeon Indianneonindian Alex Suskind 2010-10-20T10:00:00 00:00 Sleigh Bells Get Hot and Sweaty at New York MTV Gig http://www.spinner.com/2010/09/21/sleigh-bells-live-from-nyc-webster/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/09/21/sleigh-bells-live-from-nyc-webster/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/09/21/sleigh-bells-live-from-nyc-webster/#comments Filed under: ,


When a band first enters the realm of public exposure, it's natural that people classify and categorize them into a particular genre and compare them to other groups. But what happens when a band's sound seems unclassifiable, like Brooklyn duo Sleigh Bells?

Since popping up on music blogs in 2009, reviews and profiles of the band include a number of labels, some mixture of everything from noise-pop to lo-fi to hip-hop to heavy metal. But fans and critics all seem to agree on at least one description: Sleigh Bells are absolutely, positively loud, which may be an understatement when it comes to their live shows. ]]> Sleigh Bellssleighbells Alex Suskind 2010-09-21T10:00:00 00:00 Neon Indian Take Live Cues From Blue Man Group http://www.spinner.com/2010/09/01/neon-indian-live/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/09/01/neon-indian-live/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/09/01/neon-indian-live/#comments Filed under: , ,


Neon Indian's Alan Palomo

Replicating any recorded music to the live setting, particularly tracks that includes complex sounds and effects, can have band members playing the role of both musician and mad scientist. Neon Indian are a perfect example of this. Lead singer Alan Palomo -- who is known for his elaborate table setup of synthesizers and other miscellaneous effects units -- compares his band to another group familiar with taking on both of these responsibilities.

"I almost feel like we've fallen into the pattern of the Blue Man Group, just adding new things so you're always on edge during the set," Palomo tells Spinner. "It's never completely predictable. That probably just fuels a lot of the passion of playing live, even just the troubleshooting aspect where it's like 'Wow, I have 30 seconds before I have to play this line. How do I make sound come out?'" ]]> Neon Indianneonindian Alex Suskind 2010-09-01T16:00:00 00:00 Neon Indian Play Intimate MTV Gig in New York http://www.spinner.com/2010/08/17/neon-indian-live-in-nyc-mtv/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/08/17/neon-indian-live-in-nyc-mtv/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/08/17/neon-indian-live-in-nyc-mtv/#comments Filed under: ,


Neon Indian's Alan Palomo

This past June, Neon Indian played to thousands of fans inside the That Tent at Bonnaroo. Arguably one of the highlights of this year's festival, the set was a loud, hot, sweaty, hectic dance party.

Fast-forward two months to Monday night's Neon Indian show in New York City. The scene was a decidedly different atmosphere, as the group played to 150 people inside the dark and damp basement of the Studio at Webster Hall as part of MTV's new 'Live in NYC' series. Despite the clear change in scenery, the four-piece based out of Denton, Texas put on an inspired and powerful performance, full of thick, fuzzy guitar riffs, booming drums and mind-bending synths. ]]> Neon indianNeonIndian Alex Suskind 2010-08-17T10:00:00 00:00 Arcade Fire and Terry Gilliam Spread 'Love' With Madison Square Garden Webcast http://www.spinner.com/2010/08/06/arcade-fire-terry-gilliam-webcast-msg/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/08/06/arcade-fire-terry-gilliam-webcast-msg/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/08/06/arcade-fire-terry-gilliam-webcast-msg/#comments Filed under: ,


Two weeks ago, when Arcade Fire announced that their Aug. 5 concert at Madison Square Garden would be streamed live on YouTube, fans who were not lucky enough to originally snag tickets to the show jumped for joy. It was hard to argue with a front-row seat at the "World's Most Famous Arena" with a band considered to be one of the best.

But even better than the free webcast was the fact that the one and only Terry Gilliam would be directing the evening's festivities. So, what would the man behind some of the most innovative films of the last three decades ('Brazil,' '12 Monkeys,' etc.) have in store for Arcade Fire and millions of viewers? ]]> Arcade FireArcadeFire Alex Suskind 2010-08-06T10:00:00 00:00 Chromeo Light Up New York City http://www.spinner.com/2010/07/30/chromeo-tour-new-york/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/07/30/chromeo-tour-new-york/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/07/30/chromeo-tour-new-york/#comments Filed under: ,


Chromeo

At 11:20PM on Thursday night at New York City's Bowery Ballroom, hundreds were waiting in anticipation for the night's main act, the '80s-inspired funk maestros known as Chromeo. As the lights dimmed, people swelled towards the stage. Two pairs of leg-shaped lamps -- from the cover of the duo's second album, 'Fancy Footwork' -- lit up. One set was fastened underneath an electric keyboard, the other, under a table holding up a laptop. Then, as a loud booming bass began to shake the floor, a sequencer blasted through the speakers, each sound eliciting loud cheers from the sold-out crowd. Cue the fat synth, talk box and thick drumbeat; the dance-party commenced.

Chromeo's show was funky, entertaining and, well, bright -- as the duo played their brand of electro-funk, 12 gigantic sets of spotlights and six multi-colored strobe lights shined on behind them, mesmerizing and slowly blinding the crowd at the same time. Synchronized to the beat of the music, the lights put a spotlight on the dancing mass, particularly during favorites like 'Momma's Boy,' 'Bonafied Lovin' and 'Tenderoni.' They also played two new tracks from their soon to be released third LP, 'Business Casual': 'Don't Turn the Lights On' and 'Night by Night,' both of which were greeted warmly by the energetic crowd. ]]> ChromeoDaryl HallDarylHallHall and OatesHallAndOatesRick JamesRickJames Alex Suskind 2010-07-30T10:00:00 00:00 Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros Lead New York in Feel-Good Sing-Alongs http://www.spinner.com/2010/07/23/edward-sharpe-and-the-magnetic-zeros-live/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/07/23/edward-sharpe-and-the-magnetic-zeros-live/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/07/23/edward-sharpe-and-the-magnetic-zeros-live/#comments Filed under: ,


Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

In a flash of neon colors and bright lights, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros descended upon New York City Thursday night for a show filled with magic, mystery and lots of dancing.

Since their debut album 'Up From Below' was released last year, the Zeros have grown an enormous following with their brand of '60s-styled sing-along tunes awash in psychedelic melodies and rhythms. The 10-piece ensemble is known for their live spectacles, and once again delivered a dazzling performance last night in front of a sold-out crowd at Webster Hall. ]]> Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic ZerosEdwardSharpeAndTheMagneticZeros Alex Suskind 2010-07-23T10:00:00 00:00 The Drums Repeat Themselves at New York Show http://www.spinner.com/2010/07/21/the-drums-live-new-york/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/07/21/the-drums-live-new-york/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/07/21/the-drums-live-new-york/#comments Filed under: ,


The Drums' Jonathan Pierce

While most bands usually reserve a concert encore for songs they have yet to play, the Drums went a decidedly different route during their show Tuesday night at New York's Webster Hall.

"You've already heard this song [tonight]," said lead singer Jonathan Pierce. "But we are going to play it at twice the tempo. So dance."

On that note, the four-piece rock group from New York ripped into a high-speed version of 'Best Friend,' the band's opening track from their self-titled debut album. The fact that the crowd had heard it less than an hour beforehand did not dampen their spirits as they jumped around and sang along to the upbeat pop song. ]]> Drums Alex Suskind 2010-07-21T10:00:00 00:00 Japandroids Brave an Early Sunday Set at Bonnaroo http://www.spinner.com/2010/06/13/japandroids-brave-an-early-sunday-set-at-bonnaroo/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/06/13/japandroids-brave-an-early-sunday-set-at-bonnaroo/ http://www.spinner.com/2010/06/13/japandroids-brave-an-early-sunday-set-at-bonnaroo/#comments Filed under: ,


Japandroids' Brian KingThe 12:30PM timeslot on Sunday at Bonnaroo can be hell for both fan and artist. For festivalgoers, it is the beginning of the end -- the last leg of the trip, when your feet and back could give out at any moment. For musicians, you risk playing to a smaller crowd due to performing the day after the craziest night of the festival.

So when Japandroids lead singer Brian King stepped out on stage, he seemed pleasantly surprised. "We seriously thought we were going to be playing to five people this early, so thank you for coming out," he said. ]]> 922681bonnaroobonnaroo 2010bonnaroo2010brian kingBrianKingjapandroids Alex Suskind 2010-06-13T13:30:00 00:00