Bon Iver Added To 'Dark Was The Night' Lineup

I just got a little more excited for this May 3rd show. Get your tickets here. Until then have a listen to the title track off Bon Iver's EP, Blood Bank.

Bon Iver - Blood Bank - Buy Album

All Points West Lineup Announced

The All Points West Music & Arts Festival is set for year two and has announced their lineup for 2009. This one got a rather lukewarm response last year, but it sounds like some lessons were learned that have the potential to make it a better time this go around. Specifically addressed have been the beer-drinking issues (limits, quarantined areas for drinkers) and transportation difficulties (there will be more and larger ferries delivering fans).
It has been stated that much of the difficulty in getting people to make the trip to the 'dirty jerse' lies in the fact that folks can see many of these acts elsewhere in NY. That may be so, but it seems like a deeper lineup this year makes APW a more compelling purchase. The festival runs July 31-Aug. 2. Three-day passes are $199 and single-day passes are $89. Ticket info here. Friday looks like it could have the potential to be pretty solid. I might have to check APW out this year...if only for a day to get my feet wet. Anybody else intrigued enough to consider going?

Pnuma Trio at Abbey Pub 3/28/09 Chicago

Got a little out of my element last night and ended up at the Abbey Pub. I was convinced by a young lass to make my way over to the show and with the claim "you will love these guys." The crowd was a little different then the past few shows I have attended. To put it in perspective a few girls were close to licking the walls and this was not Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. Take a look for yourself below.

Pnuma Trio

Plants Animals @ Schubas 3/27/09 Chicago, IL

Checked out Plants & Animals last night at Schubas. Good times, can't beat $2 Schlitz. Cheap drinks aside the music was good too. I couldn't compile a setlist as Im not all that familiar with their work. Im familiar enough to know I like it though. They played with a lot of heart and emotion. We were down in the front row some good pics to follow.

Anyone else go to this show?

Get into it ... Plants & Animals

TGIF JAMS

Here is a taste of what I've been rockin' too. As always its just a taste. Get involved, dive in, make some purchases, expand your collection, free your mind, your ass will follow
enjoy!

Joe Ely - Workin For The Man - Buy Album


Grizzly Bear - While You Wait For The Others - Buy Album


Portishead - Seven Months - Buy Album


Black Joe Lewis - Bitch I Love You - Buy EP


Matt and Kim - Daylight - Buy Album

A Song That I Can't Shake Today (Vetiver - The Swimming Song)

Vetiver - The Swimming Song - Buy Album


This song just makes me want to go swimming!

This summer I swam in the ocean,
And I swam in a swimming pool,
Salt my wounds, chlorine my eyes,
I'm a self-destructive fool, a self-destructive fool.

I promise I'm gonna get in the ocean this summer and I will definitely make it to the Red Hook pool...gonna try to cut down on the self-destructive foolishness though.

Anybody else find this song addicting? Riley, you gotta get to work on this one on the banjo. Happy listening.

The Steam Engine Celebrates Its First Birthday

Some of you might already be familiar with The Steam Engine Blog. Whether you've visited before or not there is no better time to check in over there. The Steam Engine is celebrating its first year of existence this week by sharing some dy-no-mite downloads. He's always got good stuff, but live Radiohead, Kings Of Leon, and My Morning Jacket all in the last couple days is almost too good to be true. Clear some disc space and get over there for some good tunage... and be sure to leave him some happy birthday wishes.

Bloc Party @ Terminal 5 3/25/09

I'll be the first to admit I'm not a huge Bloc Party fan or even much of a fan at all, but when I got the invite to go to the show tonight I figured it'd be worth checking out. I had received Bloc Party's most recent release, Intimacy last fall. I had to get it off my ipod (maybe prematurely) after running into that "Mercury in Retrograde" song one too many times on shuffle. So I have to say I never gave the album a fair listen. I might have to go back to that one. These guys played an energetic show to an all ages crowd tonight at Terminal 5 and while I wondered at points if I'd ever been encouraged more often to clap at a show, overall I had a good time. Bloc Party can get it going at times. I definitely preferred their up tempo tunes, particularly those with lead singer Kele Okereke keeping a guitar in his hands. I can appreciate his enthusiasm for the performance but at times the stage banter seemed to be a bit much. I'll give him credit for the crowd surfing he did and as I said it was a fun show overall. I'll have to dig back into Bloc Party's Intimacy and give these guys another look. Anybody else go to the show? Seen these guys live? Or have an opinion on their work? I'd be interested to hear other opinions.

Alberta Cross and Dead Confederate Live Sessions at HearYa

Two bands that we've had a chance to plug on these blog pages, Alberta Cross and Dead Confederate, recently recorded live sessions with the guys from HearYa.

I've been listening to Alberta Cross' 2007 EP The Thief and The Heartbreaker in pretty heavy rotation since Riley got it for me for this past Xmas. The EP might only include 7 tracks, but there's no slugs in there. Each song is catchy as hell. They've added some members to the band and based on the HearYa session seem to have some new material ready for a full length debut.

Here they are playing bocce at Union Hall in Brooklyn.
If you listen to any of our recommendations check these guys out and go get their EP, The Thief & the Heartbreaker and go check out the live session over at HearYa.
Another band that we've been jamming on here at HGH, Dead Confederate, also has a session over at HearYa. I had a chance to watch them perform in NY (read about it) and these guys put on a keeeck ace show and have a new CD that's worth picking up. Go get Wrecking Ball and check out their HearYa live session. Don't make me have to tell you again. Happy listening.

Rocker Hottie Of The Week - Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs

This week's RHOTW comes courtesy of a reader nomination from KZ. It is certainly a timely selection with Karen O's Yeah Yeah Yeah's releasing their much anticipated new album It's Blitz! this month. Another thanks to KZ for sharing the album with us cheapskates at HGH. We like the sound and we like the Karen O. More pics below.




The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Karen O are back. Go get the album It's Blitz!

Plants & Animals This Friday 3/27 @ Schuba's

I'm getting pretty fired up for this show. It's a solid bonus to be traveling back to Chicago for Dank's 30th birthday and be able to catch this the night before. Fitting lyrics for the occasion.

"It takes a good friend to say you've got your head up your ass."

So true. Hope to see everybody back in the CHI this weekend to watch Dank get roasted.

Plants & Animals - Good Friend (Live)
Plants & Animals - Bye Bye Bye

Flatlanders

Interesting interview over at Lone Star Music with the Flatlanders' very own Jimmie Dale Gilmore. If you haven't heard of these guys, or Jimmie Dale Gilmore, you may recognize him as 'Smokey' from The Big Lebowski.



The interview is quite good, and so is their music. Put a lil' twang in your twitter and check em out, they have a new album titled Hills & Valleys (releasing March 31). They are also on tour. I'll be seeing them when they come to Chicago.

The Flatlanders
The band members:
Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Joe Ely - love this guys solo work.
Butch Hancock

Heartless Bastards kill it @ SXSW 2009

Ok I wasn't there, but word on the street is the Heartless Bastards CRUSHED IT @ SXSW...
read this

MOKB Interviews Matthew Vasquez from Delta Spirit

Various contributors to this blog have had the chance to see Delta Spirit perform in the last couple months; Chicago for Valentine's Day and in New York the next week. They put on a great show and they play some damn good tunes. Go check 'em out next time you get a chance. Having seen the show in NY I felt privileged to have seen one of the three stage dives that lead singer Matthew Vasquez says that he's dropped on this tour. Read the interview Vasquez did for My Old Kentucky Blog. and go get their debut album Ode to Sunshine.

...come all you people turn around...

Beastie Boys To Reissue 1992's 'Check Your Head'

Is your name Michael Diamond? Naw. Mine's Clarence.

When I was in junior high all I really wanted was to be was a Beastie Boy. Nothing wrong with wanting to be a white jewish rapper from Brooklyn (MCA was always my favorite) right? All of a sudden this year the "Three MC's and One DJ" are back in the news. They already did the reissue of 1989's sample-heavy classic 'Paul's Boutique', they're set to headline at Bonnaroo, are rumored to be on the bill for Lollapalooza, and are reported to be releasing a new album this year.
In keeping up with what is becoming a busy year for the Beastie Boys they will be reissuing 1992's 'Check Your Head' in digital form March 30th with the hard copy coming out April 7th. The reissue will feature bonus tracks along with other Beastie bells and whistles.
Take a trip down memory lane and go catch the Beasties' performance on Arsenio Hall (woop, woop) with DJ Hurricane and B Real from Cypress Hill.
Aiiiiight.

Rocker Hottie(s) Of The Week - The Pipettes

This group from England can best be described as 'girly pop'. The lineup consists of sisters Gwenno and Ani Saunders and has had a rew rotating third members, the latest being Beth Mburu-Bowie. They have released one full length album and you can get it here, We Are the Pipettes, but let's be honest they're here because they fill the hottie requirement more so than the rocker requirement. More pics below.




You can get a taste of their sound in the video for "Pull Shapes".

On The Run From Johnny Law

So we're relatively new at the blog thing but have been getting the hang of it and generally having a good time with it. This week we had our first post removed because the songs that were included and possible copyright infringements that the hosting of these songs would entail. Not a huge deal, but I am left to wonder if the copyright police stopped to read the post. We were recommending the Airborne Toxic Event album and that everyone go BUY it. You still should. I've reposted the text below and if you're a resourceful internet user you can still find the tracks (or if you've subscribed to our blog feed, the links still work). Try the hype machine or the band's myspace page.

The L.A. band, Airborne Toxic Event was just out in New York playing two sold out shows last week at the Bowery Ballroom with Alberta Cross. I originally stumbled onto The Airborne Toxic Event while searching for Alberta Cross shows. When I saw the two aforementioned Bowery shows were already sold out and Alberta Cross (who you also need to check out) was just an opening act I decided I needed to check out this headliner.
A busy week didn't allow me to make the attempt at getting into the shows last week but I did go so far to buy The Airborne Toxic Event's self-titled full length debut which came out last summer. The band has been compared to Arcade Fire and while I can see where this comes from I'd say they've got their own sound.
Anyway, when people ask me who I've been listening to of late I've been telling them to go buy this CD. So I will do the same here. Go pick up The Airborne Toxic Event. From what I hear they also put on a rad show, so check 'em out when they come to your town. Concert dates can be found here.

PHISH 2009 SUMMER TOUR

Just as I was telling my buddy how sick it was that Phish would be closing their summer tour with shows @ Alpine and that Id be there to see it I find out the tour has been extended. Well so much for those bragging rights. You knew these boys had to head out west. Shows at Redrocks, and The Gorge...and another Chicago date...hmmm. Definitely tempting. Check out the entire summper 09 tour schedule below.


PHISH 2009 SUMMER TOUR

06/04 - Nikon at Jones Beach Theater - Wantagh, NY - SOLD OUT
06/05 - Nikon at Jones Beach Theater - Wantagh, NY - SOLD OUT
06/06 - Comcast Center - Mansfield, MA - SOLD OUT
06/07 - Susquehanna Bank Center - Camden, NJ - SOLD OUT
06/09 - Asheville Civic Center - Asheville, NC - SOLD OUT
06/10 - Thompson-Boling Arena - Knoxville, TN - SOLD OUT
06/12 - Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Manchester, TN - ON SALE NOW
06/14 - Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Manchester, TN - ON SALE NOW
06/16 - Fox Theatre - St. Louis, MO - SOLD OUT
06/18 - Post Gazette Pavilion - Burgettstown, PA - SOLD OUT
06/19 - Verizon Wireless Music Center - Noblesville, IN - SOLD OUT
06/20 - Alpine Valley - East Troy, WI - SOLD OUT
06/21 - Alpine Valley - East Troy, WI - SOLD OUT
07/30 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO - PUBLIC ONSALE 3/26
07/31 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO - PUBLIC ONSALE 3/26
08/01 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO - PUBLIC ONSALE 3/26
08/02 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO - PUBLIC ONSALE 3/26
08/05 - Shoreline Amphitheatre - Mountain View, CA - PUBLIC ONSALE 3/29
08/07 - The Gorge - George, WA - PUBLIC ONSALE 3/27
08/08 - The Gorge - George, WA - PUBLIC ONSALE 3/27
08/11 - Toyota Park - Chicago, IL - PUBLIC ONSALE 4/04
08/13 - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center - Darien Center, NY - PUBLIC ONSALE 3/27
08/14 - Meadows Music Theater - Hartford, CT - PUBLIC ONSALE 3/28
08/15 - Merriweather Post Pavilion - Columbia, MD - PUBLIC ONSALE 3/27
08/16 - Saratoga Performing Arts Center - Saratoga Springs, NY - PUBLIC ONSALE 3/27

A Happy Genius St. Patrick's Day Playlist

Many of the parties have come and gone but we can still enjoy some tunes to remember good times had and those yet to come. Happy St. Patrick's Day from the gang at Happy Genius. Enjoy a little playlist for the occasion. Happy listening.

St. Patricks Day 2009

Jack White's new group - The Dead Weather

News has broke out on Jack White's latest project, he has left the guitar in the stand and moved to the drum kit. The new 4 piece band, The Dead Weather, will also include Alison Mosshart (The Kills), Jack Lawrence (The Raconteurs), and Dean Fertita (Queens of the Stone Age). Their album, Horehound, is to be released June 9th and I'm sure a tour will follow. We can't wait. Check out their website The Dead Weather.
The New York Times had a good article about the new group and Jack's new record label/studio/vinyl store, read it here.
Also here is one of their tracks... 'Hang You From The Heavens'

TGIF Jams

Happy Friday. enjoy!

Pree - In The Parlor - Buy Album

Deleted Scenes - Turn To Sand - Buy Album

The Rosewood Thieves - Lonesome Road - Buy Album

The Walkmen - Donde Esta La Playa - Buy Album

Elbow - Grounds For Divorce - Buy Album

Kings Of Leon @ National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, UK 12/10/08

Came across some solid Kings of Leon live tracks over @ Anyone's Guess. The live KOL tracks were from Anyone's Guess' 'Sunday Night Live' column about 2 months ago. They're new to me, here they are, give em a listen, and when you are through head over to Anyone's Guess and peruse the rest of their Sunday Night Live postings. Some great stuff.
Razz
Joe's Head
Fans
Sex On Fire
I Want You
Notion
Use Somebody
Closer
I sure am glad I had the chance to see Kings of Leon back in October @ the Aragon, back before their tickets were impossible to score.

My Morning Jacket To Release Live EP April 18th

In an email to fans today MMJ announced they would be releasing a Live EP from their 8/16/08 show at Louisville, KY's waterfront park. You can read the full message from the band over at The Steam Engine. You should be heading there frequently as they've got all you My Morning Jacket needs covered. Be sure to check out Jim James' interview with Ken Wilber while you're there. James tells much of MMJ's backstory and what it has meant to him. Very cool interview...oh and they've got a ton of good downloads over there too.
In the meantime check out the behind the scenes video from the My Morning Jacket EP to be released April 18th. Just watching it reminds me of how keeeeck ace these guys are in concert. Enjoy and be sure to get a copy when it comes out.

My Morning Jacket from Tugboat Productions on Vimeo.

Dark Was The Night Concert Presale

The tickets to the concert commemorating the Dark Was The Night compilation went on sale this morning. I got to work 30 minutes early just to order a couple for myself. Go get yours before the tickets go on sale to the public on Friday. Presale password is: HEDARK.
Concert info can be found here. As of right now confirmed acts include Dave Sitek, Dirty Projectors, Feist, My Brightest Diamond, The National, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings. Early rumblings are that David Byrne and Grizzly Bear will be added soon with others to follow. If you look at the tracklist on the double length compilation the possibilities are pretty sick. So go get some tickets. Go pick up the CD Dark Was the Night. And in the meantime have a listen to The National’s track from the project.
The National – So Far Around The Bend

Dan Auerbach @ Metro w/ Hacienda and Those Darlins - 3/6/09

Gonna try to keep this one short since Riley Freeman already posted the set list from the show. We had a good crew for the show as me, Susan, Frankie B and my buddy Matt Reid did a little pre-grubbing on some pizaa at D'Agostinos. We met up with Mr. Freeman and Colin outside the gates at 8:30, but with The Ginergerman right next door and D. Auerbach not going on until 10:00 or so, we decided it was in our best interests to make a little love, play a little pool and just get down tonight.

After Susan scratched on the 8-ball in game 1, Frankie and Matty ran the table against a various crew of characters who wanted in on the fun. Well played gentlemen. Me, Bill and Colin did good work on some priced-to-move PBRs and then it was game time so we headed next door for the show. The next tape in the reel was apparently blank as little details are clear, even in retrospect. We missed out on Those Darlins, but Riley made up for it by partying with them post-show. Caught Hacienda from up top though, and it was fine, fine, just fine. Here's some fuzzy pics from the crow's nest.

We made it down in front-left for D. Auerbach. Good, loud times. More fuzzy pics for your pocket.