No Fun Fest 2009 Fails to Live Up to "Un-Fun" Moniker Once Again; Merzbow, Sonic Youth, Bastard Noise, and More!

By Liz Louche on

After the recent season finale of the smash MTV reality show Paris Hilton's My New BFF, my nights have been unexpectedly empty and devoid of excitement. What other source has tantalizing glimpses into a world much more fun, much more thrilling than my daily workaday existence? Life had seemed hopelessly dull and whack.

Until now!

With the unveiling of the No Fun Fest 2009 lineup, finally there is something to look forward to once more. Hold the commercials, cue the noise. Looks like Merzbow is once again coming back to the U.S. for a set! Also making appearances will be TMT favorites like Emeralds (TMT Review), Black Pus (TMT Review), Pedestrian Deposit (TMT Review), Chris Corsano (TMT Review), Skullflower (TMT Review), Blank Dogs (TMT Review), and C. Spencer Yeh (TMT Review) playing with Trevor Tremaine (TMT Review) and Rafael Toral (TMT Review).

And while Sonic Youth members are always dispersed throughout the fest in various collaborations, this time they're playing their own set! Also expect Bastard Noise, Axolotl, Bardo Bond, the always uncompromising CON-DOM, and much, much more.

It all goes down May 15-17 at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. Alas, I hear Hilton is more of a Coachella girl

05.15.09-05.17.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg

Final lineup:

Merzbow

Sonic Youth

Bastard Noise

Grey Wolves

Bardo Pond

Thrones

Blank Dogs

Skullflower

CON-DOM

Conrad Schnitzler's Con-Cert

Xeno and Oaklander

Emeralds

Raglani

Pulse Emitter

Black Pus

Axolotl

Yellow Tears

Chris Corsano

Rafael Toral with C. Spencer Yeh and Trevor Tremaine

Marcus Schmickler/ Peter Rehberg

Noveller

Pedestrian Deposit

Jazzfinger

Mattin

Carlos Giffoni

Cold Cave

Sons of God

I Smell Winter….and It’s Very Similar to Dirty Diapers Mixed with Pickle Brine; Bon Iver Back With EP and Tourdates

By David Nadelle on 12-12-2008

Tiny Mix Tapes is not Wal-Mart. Granted, there are few things we enjoy more than strutting into town to bankrupt long-standing, independently-run, family businesses, but that's where the similarities end. When it comes to over-promoting the holiday season, we take a different approach to things. Christmas doesn't need pimping until the end of November at the very latest, not the minute after Halloween, and January winter fun doesn't begin until icy cool troubadour Justin Vernon releases new songs. The fun will come, but winter is already here. If you want further proof just look at the new Bon Iver EP cover!

Now that you have retrieved your monitor from outside, repaired your window, and completed the required anger management classes program that that image prompted taking, you can smile, knowing that Bon Iver will indeed be releasing Blood Bank, a new 12-inch/CDEP featuring four new tracks, on Jagjaguwar January 20. Blood Bank will be available for purchase on the current U.S. and upcoming Australian tours, with the vinyl offering a bonus digital download voucher. That's news that can warm the coldest mood

Blood on these tracks:

1. Blood Bank
2. Beach Baby
3. Babys
4. Woods

Vernon and touring co. will continue on their small tour tonight in Brooklyn after recent dates oversees, a couple of NYC Town Hall shows, and a Late Show performance. Vernon has also designed a t-shirt for the artist-enlisted charity initiative Yellow Bird Project. All proceeds of the Bon Iver model will benefit Toronto's Interval House. Letterman, t-shirt artiste, time philanthropist... my, how things have changed since Vernon's days spent as a cabin-dwelling shut-in!
12.12.08 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg %
12.14.08 - Boston, MA - The Wilbur Theatre %
12.15.08 - Philadelphia, PA - The Trocadero %
12.17.08 - Louisville, KY - Headliners %
12.18.08 - Chicago, IL - The Vic Theatre %
12.19.08 - Madison, WI - The Barrymore Theatre %
12.22.08 - Eau Claire, WI - State Theatre
01.15.09 - Perth, Australia - Fly By Night
01.17.09 - Brisbane, Australia - The Tivoli
01.18.09 - Melbourne, Australia - The Hi-Fi
01.19.09 - Melbourne, Australia - Forum Theatre
01.20.09 - Sydney, Australia - The Famous Spiegeltent
01.21.09 - Angel Place, Australia - City Recital Hall
01.22.09 - Sydney, Australia - The Famous Spiegeltent
01.23.09 - Sydney, Australia - The Famous Spiegeltent
01.24.09 - Angel Place, Australia - City Recital Hall

% The Tallest Man of Earth

Seymour Stein on Epic Major Label Fail

By Kid Midnight on 12-12-2008

Seymour Stein, VP at Warner Music Group and founder of Sire Records, offered this tiny nugget of a quote for all of us to read and laugh at, as quoted in The Globe and Mail (via Coolfer):

We blew it. The first major music labels were all phonograph manufacturers, but by the time the Beatles came along, most companies were no longer involved in the hardware. Had we remained in control of the hardware, we wouldn't be hurting as much as we are now. And the iPod would be ours.

Yes, you sure "blew it," record companies. What's keeping you in the red isn't the horrible music product that you promote or your contradictory approach to the digital world or that you call digital-oriented consumers "pirates"or, as Coolfer suggests, your apparent lack of interest in entering the cash cow world of merchandise, ticketing, e-commerce, management, or touring. No, it's because you don’t control the production and sale of, uh, hardware, like the iPod...

Can you believe executives like these are calling the shots? They really need to stop worrying about what decisions they COULD have made and worry about what great decisions they SHOULD be making now. Like putting out my record.

Here's Belle and Sebastian's take:


Report Blames Antony and The Johnsons for Upcoming U.S. Tour, Detainee Abuses

By Mango Starr on 12-12-2008

Antony and The Johnsons -- not to be confused with Anthony Johnston, my freshman roommate -- have confirmed a 15-date tour of the U.S. Just so happens that my bud Anthony Johnston is also a big fan of Anthony and The Johnsons, so this'll be PERFECT. The group's new album, The Crying Light, hits stores January 20 via Secretly Canadian, which gives me and Anthony just enough time to memorize all the words before the tour.

Here's what Antony had to say about the new album:

My new album "The Crying Light" is dedicated to the great dancer Kazuo Ohno. In performance I watched him cast a circle of light upon the stage, and step into that circle, and reveal the dreams and reveries of his heart. He seemed to dance in the eye of something mysterious and creative; with every gesture he embodied the child and the feminine divine. He's kind of like my art parent.

And here's what Anthony Johnston had to say:

Why is it only drug dealers and software developers call their clients users? Does the Little Mermaid wear an algebra? Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery? If God dropped acid, would he see people? If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do the rest drown too? If you ate pasta and antipasta, would you still be hungry?

Hahaha! Can't you see why I'm friends with him? Fucking hilarious.

Tourdates (European tourdates coming soon!):

Dan Deacon Finds Cure For Touring Loneliness, Unveils 15-Piece Live Band TONIGHT; Street Date For Bromst Confirmed

By Scott Lauer on 12-11-2008

When last writing about Mr. Deacon (TMT Review), I submitted my pleas for more information about his forthcoming album, Bromst. Well, it looks like Dan has answered my prayers (or so I would like to believe this was just for me) by announcing that his follow-up to Spiderman of the Rings will be coming our way (relatively) soon -- March 24, 2009, to be exact, courtesy of Carpark Records.

Deacon will also be mixing up his famous live show with the addition of a huge-ass band. Featuring a hodgepodge of Baltimore all-stars, the ensemble will be making its debut tonight at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple to help promote Bromst and will later tour in 2009 charged with the same task. The show promises a few solo Deacon songs, sets from Dirty Projectors and So Percussion, and, of course, surprises!

Dan Deacon Live Ensemble Talent Detail:

- Percussion:

Eric Beach (So Percussion)

Denny Bowen (Double Dagger, Smarthgrowth)

Jeremy Hyman (Ponytail, Ultimate Reality)

Kevin O'Meara (Videohippos, Ultimate Reality)

Rich O'Meara (ko'mm)

Josh Quillen (So Percussion)

Adam Sliwinski (So Percussion)

Jason Treuting (So Percussion)

- Synthesizers, Keyboards and Electronics:

Benny Boeldt (Adventure)

William Cashion (Future Islands)

Dan Deacon

Chester Gwazda (Nuclear Power Pants)

Gerrit Welmers (Future Islands)

- Guitar:

Matt Papiach (Ecstatic Sunshine/White Williams)

Ken Seeno (Ponytail)

...And Dan Deacon Tourdates:

# Dirty Projectors, So Percussion

* Girl Talk

+ Baltimore Round Robin Show

Animal Collective to Release Merriweather Post Pavilion Vinyl Early, More Listening Parties

By Mango Starr on 12-11-2008

According to my buds at Pitchfork, Animal Collective are set to release their forthcoming album, Merriweather Post Pavilion, EARLY. And by early, I mean they've set a different release date for the vinyl release. While the CD and digital releases are still still scheduled for January 20 (January 12 in the UK), the vinyl + digital download come January 6, the first Tuesday of 2009.

According to people close to the band, "You don't want to miss this album. Even if you were planning to commit suicide." So, if you were planning to commit suicide on New Year's Eve, you should perhaps consider rescheduling it for January 7. Go ahead and blow your brains at that time.

Meanwhile, AC have recently scheduled more listening parties. Here they be:

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