NYC2LON

The Rakes US tour dates!

2009-08-20T14:26:00.004-04:00

To coincide with the digitial release of their third album, Klang!, the Rakes are coming back to the States and Canada for a very brief jaunt (if you will). We're pretty excited, and are hoping a few more dates will pop up soon!

October 31 - Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy
November 1 - San Francisco, CA - Slims
November 3 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Urban Lounge
November 4 - Denver, CO - The Bluebird
November 6 - Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock
November 7 - Chicago, IL - Double Door
November 9 - Toronto, ON - Mod Club
November 10 - Montreal, QC - Petit Campus
November 11 - Boston, MA - Great Scott
November 12 - New York, NY - Highline Ballroom

Hockey - Mercury Lounge - August 10, 2009

2009-08-14T13:52:00.007-04:00

We've been having a very mild summer on this side of the pond, barely reaching 85 degrees on a daily basis. But on August 10th, the real feel temperature soared over 100 degrees, which made for a very sticky evening at Mercury Lounge with four bands on the bill!

When we arrived at Merc, there was a line a good 30 people deep hoping to score a ticket to the sold out show, something rarely seen at Merc, and we've even seen The Fratellis there! That alone is a sign of good (no, great) things to come for Portland's Hockey!

Hockey are our new favorite band. Or are they our favorite new band? I think it's both. It's not very often that we get this excited about a new band (let alone, an American band), but we here at NYC2LON are pleased as punch with our new discovery. Hockey have a fresh take on old sounds. A little bit country? Check. A little bit rock n roll? Check. A little bit...hip hop? Yep. They manage to combine genres (sometimes within the same song) without sounding like they're trying too hard (or sounding ridiculous). It was 100 degrees outside, and the inside of Mercury Lounge was a sweatbox, but that didn't stop the sold out crowd from making it sweatier.

And if you don't believe us, you'll have to see them yourself to find out. They have a few tour dates left in the States, but are then heading east to conquer the UK. We have a feeling they're gonna pull a Kings of Leon and become a huge band in Europe and then next thing you know, they'll be headlining Madison Square Garden!

You should definitely Listen If You Like (LiYL): Disco, Bruce Springsteen, Duran Duran's 'Hungry Like the Wolf', Bob Dylan, Razorlight, and/or Vampire Weekend. Their debut album, Mind Chaos, is out September 21st (UK)/October 6 (US)!

Jamie T - Chaka Demus Video

2009-08-13T12:10:00.003-04:00

Jamie T - Chaka Demus on MUZU.

As it gets closer and closer to the release date of Kings and Queens (September 8), we're getting little bits and pieces to whet our appetite of the new sound of Jamie T! This is the second video/single released, and we must admit, the anticipation for the full album is killing us!

Julian Casablancas, Phrazes for the Young, & The Strokes...we're excited!

2009-08-08T22:47:00.006-04:00

Not to toot our own horn (toot toot), but we've been obsessed with The Strokes from the beginning, seeing them at tiny venues like the TLA in PA and The Stone Pony in NJ, amongst many other venues in the greater tri-state area! It's been over three years since we've seen them and even longer since we've heard some music from the five-piece, whose impact on music is immeasurable!

Now the ever-so-charming front man is hoping on the bandwagon to do his own solo work, following in the foot steps of three-fifths of his band mates (read: Fabrizio Moretti's Little Joy, Albert Hammond Jr's self titled work, and Nikolai Fraiture's Nickel Eye). So, in his first interview in over three years, Julian Casablancas is discussing the future of both The Strokes and his solo project, who's debut album, Phrazes for the Young, is scheduled for a fall release date!

Of course, this made us nostalgic for simpler times, for the single that started it all, before the movie star and model girlfriends, marriages, and possibly the cutest twin babies we've ever seen, and leave you with "Last Nite"!

Siren Festival - Coney Island - July 18, 2009

2009-07-29T16:01:00.009-04:00

Words by Vaughn Kritsas
Photos by Chris La Putt via BV

A veteran of the annual Village Voice Siren Fest for the past 5 years, this year marked the first year that I could legally drink and the first year that I made a conscious effort to see the headliner of the main stage. Prior years I would usually stick with the Stillwell Stage headliner, except for the NY Dolls, who draw a more eclectic musical presence to the show. Usually I would strategize about running from stage to stage to catch as many bands as humanly possible in the heat stroke inducing sun. However, this year I decided to chill out and take Siren Fest for what it really is: a free concert.

After filling up on Coney Island's very own Nathan's hot dogs and two XL Coors Lites (only $6.50!) I made my way to the main stage to catch the Japandroids. Hailing all the way from Vancouver and selling out their previous NY stop at Pianos, I was anticipating their brand of teen anthems spewed with 90s fuzz. For some reason listening to the Japandroids seems so wrong; however, to deny oneself enjoyment of lyrics like "your style is such a mess, I shoulda known I used to date a stylist" backed by loud snare and crash cymbals is a fucking crime.

Despite having a great time enjoying a beer and listening to the Japandroids, I made a snap play decision to scamper off to the Stillwell Stage to catch Thee Oh Sees. It was during my run to the Stillwell Stage that my masculinity was put to the test in the form of a simple game of "Shoot-the-Freak" and the XL beers from Nathan's finally caught up with me. When I finally reached the press pit I was told that I actually missed Thee Oh Sees set. I guess my 2009 Siren Fest experience has been denied its right to lo-fi psychedelic garage rock.

Next up: Future of the Left. Hailing all the way from the bowels of Cardiff, Wales, Future of the Left took to the stage screaming such lyrics as "violence will solve everything" and "Audience Please! Every minute matters!" backed by crunchy guitar rock and deep distorted heavy bass. The angsty crowd took to Future of the Left with great energy by showcasing their fist-pumping and head-banging techniques. This ultimately culminated in bassist Kelson Matthias (who previously took jabs at America’s good ole Cheetos) throwing himself over the much-disliked press barricade into the flock of adoring angst ridden fans.

I would say it would be hard to follow such a strong act, but Brooklyn three-piece A Place to Bury Strangers successfully brought their tinnitus inducing noise-rock to the sunny shores of Coney Island. While the breeze rolled off the Atlantic Ocean, frontman Oliver Ackermann crafted simple pop melodies drenched in feedback, which called to mind such predecessors as My Bloody Valentine and Jesus and Mary Chain. A beach may be the wrong place to see such a band, who are known for playing dark, dingy Brooklyn lofts, but Oliver and co. held their own and blasted the audience with enough feedback to shake The Wonder Wheel and the Cyclone.

Taking the headlining slot for the main stage was none other than Built to Spill, who are set to release their first album in three years, There Is No Enemy, this October. Kicking their set off with “Liar” from their latest LP, Built to Spill threw down the gauntlet for naysayers who constantly draw comparisons to the Neil Young and Crazy Horse riffage. The setlist consisted of a nice mix of four previous LPs and was completely void of songs from Perfect From Now On, which the band played in its entirety at their last NY appearance. As the sun set, Built to Spill moved into such crowd favorites as “You Were Right”, which was met with crowd singalongs. The band ended the night with “Carry the Zero” while I was wondering who has the better beard: Doug Martsh or Brett Netson?

What's In My Bag? With Tim Burgess

2009-07-28T23:53:00.004-04:00

I know it's technically 'The Charlatans UK' but I'm pretty sure that's only because of some fun little lawsuit involving a band with the same name. (Ahhh yes, after Wikipedia-ing, turns out there's a US Charlatans). The bands Blink and Blink 182 come to mind, but does anyone actually listen to the band Blink? And has anyone ever listened to the other Charlatans? No, I rest my case, and have successfully, once again, gone on a major tangent!

Let's get back on track here... It's always interesting to see what people in bands purchase these days, especially when it comes to their music choices. So below, you can see what records (yes, like actual records) Tim Burgess bought on a recent outing. All we have to say is, have fun uploading those records onto your computer so you can turn them into mp3s so you can put them on your iPod!

The Charlatans (UK) have a US tour coming up this September with Hatcham Social set to open! Check out all of the tour dates either here or here!

The Mighty Boosh - Bowery Ballroom - July 21, 2009

2009-07-22T18:06:00.008-04:00

They say (I don't really know who 'they' are) the most important thing to do when studying abroad is to immerse yourself in their culture. Now, if you're like me and you studied abroad in the UK, that basically means drink a lot (sometimes even Irn Bru), eat fish and chips, see fantastic British bands, and most importantly, become obsessed with The Mighty Boosh!

If you have no idea what The Boosh are, then I'm afraid reading about them here will really do you no good. In order to fully understand and appreciate them, you'll have to see their TV show, which you finally can, now that they're releasing the DVDs in the US in the American format!

To celebrate this milestone, the whole cast of the Mighty Boosh finally got off the stand by list and got a flight to America, to do two Myspace Secret Stand-Up performances, in both NY and LA. The New York show was literally announced the day prior and because it was first come first serve, the line(s) outside Bowery Ballroom were absolutely chaotic! Doors were at 9pm and shortly after opening, they were closed, and many fans were left outside. Fans of The Boosh are past borderline cult-ish, and there were many people dressed up as Howard Moon, Vince Noir, Naboo, Bob Fossil, and of course, Bollo. One fan went so far as to create a larger than life size Ruby, who on the show is Vince's "special friend" i.e. a "lady" interest of his which is actually just a stick with a coconut as a head!

The entire night was filled with video clips from the show, which were barely audible over the entire audience screaming the quotes and singing along to the songs. Vince (Noel Fielding) and Howard (Julian Barratt) performed skits, dark "theater", the occasional song, and most importantly a very brief crimp! Crimping for those not in the know, is when two or more people come together to create an a cappella scat-style nonsense song. To truly appreciate this, below is a video of when The Boosh performed the impossible 4-way crimp!

I tried stealing this, but failed miserably!

After about an hour long set, and appearances by Naboo, Bob Fossil (who taught the crowd some fantastic dance moves), and Bollo; Bowery Ballroom turned into a night club, where Brit-Pop music was being blasted from the speakers. While The Boosh's US debut was clearly a success, they only have one show left in the US, and unfortunately for middle-America, it takes place on the West Coast next Tuesday at The Roxy!

Things I learned from The Boosh last night:

Step-ladders can be used to finger bang a giraffe
Pinatas can be filled with semen
The Moon's got 99 problems, but the bitch ain't one

Hell Yeah - The First Mighty Boosh show in the US

2009-07-20T17:29:00.004-04:00

THE MIGHTY BOOSH
First Ever US Show

Tuesday
JULY 21, 2009
FREE! ALL AGES!
Doors @ 9:00 PM
@ Bowery Ballroom

PLEASE NOTE: This show is first come, first served. So get there early and stay in line.

Jelly Pool Parties 2009!

2009-07-02T13:22:00.005-04:00

I mean, the flyer basically does all the blogging for me, but let's see what little insight I can shed here. First of all, as many of you may know, McCarren has been closed so the location has changed to the Williamsburg Waterfront, which is located at 90 Kent Ave. @ N9th. At this new location there will be on-site dodgeball, three-on-three basketball, a larger capacity, as well as a view of the Empire State building! Oh, and one last thing, IT'S ALL FREE!!!

WOO and BOO: EP edition

2009-07-01T14:02:00.008-04:00

Two of our favorite artists released EPs just yesterday, and while they not only meet the requirements of this website (one from the States, one from the UK), they also have been artists we've been following for quite some time. Unfortunately, only one passed our strict screening test to go on to become a "WOO," while the other one fell a wee bit flat...

And the WOO goes to: drum roll please...... Jamie T for his EP Sticks 'n' Stones! This EP is the stepping stone between Jamie's disgustingly perfect debut, Panic Prevention, which was released over two years ago, and his upcoming sophomore release, Kings and Queens. With just four songs, the EP gives you a preview of what to expect on his upcoming album. It is clear that while Jamie is still true to his Panic Prevention roots, he is going in an entirely new direction with both this EP and Kings and Queens.

The namesake for this EP, and Jamie's first single, "Sticks 'n' Stones" eases his fans into the new direction he's going by being equal parts Panic Prevention and Kings and Queens! Both "St. Christopher" and "On the Green" are different versions of the same Jamie T we've always known and loved. "St. Christopher" is stripped down, and while I hate to say this, a little bit Razorlight! "On the Green" is Jamie's take on country/blues, and to be completely honest, it's incredible! It's as if Jamie went to the South, chewed straw, and sat on a porch with a banjo in hand. "The Dance of the Young Professionals" is gypsy punk, so much so that Gogol Bordello should watch their backs! This EP should tide everyone over 'til the release of Kings and Queens and while Jamie just announced a crop of UK tour dates, we really need him back in the States, so buy this EP, PLEASE!!!

Then we have the BOO award, which regrettably belongs to the now very famous Spoon, with their newest EP, Got Nuffin. Now, we here at NYC2LON have been fans of Spoon for as long as our young lives would allow it, so it comes with great remorse that they've made the BOO list. But with only three songs, and one that is instrumental, it's hard to forgive this EP. While their single "Got Nuffin" is the Spoon we all know and love, the rest of the EP leaves much to be desired. The only other song with lyrics, "Stroke Their Brains," while typical in Spoon fashion, does seem a bit drawn out with Britt doing what I like to call "reverb voice" a little too much on the track. I suppose this EP is meant to whet our Spoon appetites, as Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga is already two years old, and they've been M.I.A. for quite some time. Unfortunately, it just doesn't fill the gap that those two years has created, and we're hoping their next full length release will be out sooner rather than later.

Gringo Star: touring until the cows come home

2009-06-29T13:15:00.007-04:00

I love me some Gringo Star. Undoubtedly my favorite discovery of 2008, this band is just plain fun. Their debut album, All Y'all, showcases their perfected mix of garage rock and psych pop. But to get a real sense of how great this band is, you need to see them live. Luckily for everyone, these guys tour just as often as their fellow Atlantans, The Black Lips. After performing at what seemed like 20 different places during SXSW in March, they headed to the UK and Europe for six weeks to wow that continent. Now they're back in the States and are heading out once again to blow yer minds. Catch them live and you will not be disappointed.

LIVE DATES:
Jul 1 || The Basement || Columbus, OH
Jul 2 || Schuba's || Chicago, IL
Jul 3 || Summerfest || Milwaukee, WI
Jul 4 || The Firebird || St. Louis, MO
Jul 10 || Sticky Fingerz || Little Rock, AR
Jul 11 || Downtown Street Festival || Huntsville, AL
Jul 12 || Forecastle Festival || Louisville, KY
Jul 18 || Backyard Bash Music Festival || John's Creek, GA
Jul 23 || Workplay Theater || Birmingham, AL
Jul 25 || D-Fest || Tulsa, OK
Jul 30 || Live Wire Music Hall || Savannah, GA
Jul 31 || Backbooth || Orlando, FL
Aug 1 || Skipper's || Orlando, FL w/ Cracker
Aug 2 || Jack Rabbit's || Jacksonville, FL w/ Cracker
Aug 7 || Lollapalooza || Chicago, IL
Aug 8 || 88 Nine Radio Festival || Milwaukee, WI

Myspace
Official site

The Maccabees - MHOW - June 20, 2009

2009-06-23T15:31:00.007-04:00

*photo by Leia Jospe via BV

It's been nearly two years since I last saw The Maccabees while I was living in Glasgow and they played the QMU, and in that time, they released their sophomore effort, Wall of Arms. This album, much like their debut, has songs for every emotion: some that are fast past and pogo-ready, whereas others are sentimental, sweet, and slow.

The show at Music Hall (or Brooklyn's Bowery) was a late night, with the Maccabees not hitting the stage 'til after midnight. While I didn't roll up to Music Hall 'til 11:30 out of sheer laziness, the night really started off early with a happy hour and DJs Chess Club and Tom Frog. If you're a proper anglophile, you'll recognize Tom Frog as being one of the DJs from London's Frog at the Mean Fiddler. Which leads me to memories of Dan Sartain throwing a glass bottle into the audience when I was last at Frog. Oh, those were the days. Anyway, from what I could tell, the DJs were playing great music throughout the night and played the likes of Jamie T, Foals, and Friendly Fires prior to the Maccabees hitting the stage!

The first true openers were Hatcham Social who I regrettably missed, although had intentions to see at Monday's Mercury Lounge show but unfortunately that didn't happen! I looked forward to hearing their Breakfast Club style music. Thankfully, they'll be back in the US in September to open for the Charlatans!

Up next was Miike Snow who had to delay their US debut due to visa issues. They have a bunch of hype around them, which explains why Mercury Lounge's show on Monday was sold out.

Finally, it was time for the Maccabees! Granted, I was only there for thirty minutes by the time they went on, but I was antsy! Anyway, the set list was a perfect mix of new and old, although noticeably missing was "Latchmere," amongst other singles! The rest of the songs and the crowd's moshing/pogo-ing made up for the lack of "Latchmere." When "Toothpaste Kisses" was played, the crowd turned into a bunch of couples slow dancing, and the rest of us awkwardly standing around, much like high school dances! Their final song, "Love You Better," even resulted in a fairly decent attempt at crowd surfing! I'm quite sad to have missed the Maccabees' smaller show at Mercury Lounge, but I'm hoping they will come back to the US to do a full tour!

Setlist:
No Kind Words
X-Ray
Tissue Shoulders
Can You Give It
Kiss and Resolve
Toothpaste Kisses
Precious Time
Accordion
Young Lions
Lego
William Powers
First Love
Dinosaurs
Mary
Love You Better

The Heavy's new single

2009-05-14T15:46:00.008-04:00

The Heavy are back and they're better than ever. Their newest single, 'Oh No! Not You Again' off their sophomore effort, The House That Dirt Built, was released this Tuesday with a horror-film inspired music video to go along with it. Below, for your listening and viewing pleasure is the video and mp3 of their newest single. There are two more singles to come before the release of their second album, out this October along with a North American tour kicking off at the end of June!

The Heavy - Oh No! Not You Again mp3

TOUR DATES:
June 26 || The Supermarket || Toronto, ON
June 28 || The Biltmore Cabaret|| Vancouver, BC
June 29 || Element || Victoria, BC
July 1 || Lydia's Pub|| Saskatoon, SK
July 2 || Lydia's Pub || Saskatoon, SK
July 3 || The Exchange || Regina, SK
July 4 || Old Market Square || Winnipeg, MB
July 6 || Fine Line Music Cafe || Minneapolois, MN
July 7 || Double Door || Chicago, IL
July 8 || Casbah || Hamilton, ON
July 9 || Festival Plaza || Ottawa, ON
July 10 || Festival International de Jazz de Montreal || Montreal, QC
July 11 || Quebec City Int'l Summer Festival || Quebec City, QC
July 13 + 14 || NYC Promo || New York, NY

Shows actually worth going to

2009-05-07T01:02:00.015-04:00

I'd like to say that this economic recession is the reason why there have been, well, no good shows lately but I really have to think it's because there are FEW new bands out there worth seeing. Those worth seeing are most likely from the UK and not heading to our shores anytime soon! But summer's looking up with some seasoned Brits coming here to do what they do best... drink.

First are my darlings The Maccabees playing the Music Hall of Williamsburg on June 20th and Mercury Lounge on June 22nd. It's been nearly two years since they were last in NY, and not only do we get two shows which will undoubtedly be incredible, but they also have a new album coming out! WIN!

Then Mr. Jarvis fucking Cocker is playing uptown's Terminal 5 on July 30th. He too has a new album coming out. Win again!

Finally, we have Maximo Park playing a not-so-summer show at Webster Hall on September 21st. And would you look at that, they too have a new album coming out!

Now if only we could keep this trend going...

The Rakes - Bowery Ballroom - April 6, 2009

2009-04-09T12:58:00.015-04:00

Not only is “Work, Work, Work, Pub, Club Sleep” one of The Rakes' greatest songs, it is also a lifestyle that many of us abide by. That is because The Rakes are, in every sense of the phrase, a working class band. Hailing from London, England, the foursome (and one unofficial new member) made a triumphant return to New York City earlier this week at the 650 capacity Bowery Ballroom. Now touring their junior effort Klang!, the last time they were in the States was nearly two years ago when they were promoting their second album, Ten New Messages.

After opening bands Sean Bones and The Dig finished their sets, the crowd waited anxiously with baited breath to see their heroes return to the stage. As the clock struck ten, The Rakes hit the stage and the British packed crowd, including lead singer of The Strokes, Julian Casablancas, were dancing as if no time had passed since they were last here.

Lead singer Alan Donohoe led the crowd as only he could--with his awkward speeches and angular dance moves. When one looks at him, his resemblance to the late Ian Curtis of Joy Division is immediately apparent. Not only does he look like him, but he also has similar seizure-like dance moves and vocals to boot. His energy was contagious and the audience fed off it, which led to pogo-ing and eventually a mosh pit!

The Rakes' hour long set was filled with a healthy mix of songs from their first album, Capture/Release, and their third record Klang! Noticeably missing from the set list were songs off their second effort, Ten New Messages, which was a little upsetting, but understandable considering their catalogue has grown considerably!

The crowd was aching for more when The Rakes left the stage for good after their explosive encore. Thankfully, for those who did not get their Rakes fill, the band had another show the next night at Brooklyn’s tiny Union Hall! Let’s hope we do not have to wait another two more years for another Rakes show, because as the crowd demonstrated, The Rakes are both loved and missed!

Setlist: You're In It, Retreat, We Danced Together, Terror!, Light From Your Mac, Open Book, Woes Of The Working Woman, 22 Grand Job, That's The Reason, Violent, Binary Love, We Are All Animals, 1989, The Loneliness Of The Outdoor Smoker, The World Was A Mess But His hair Was Perfect, Strasbourg.

**All photos courtesy of Olga Bas**

The Whip - Bowery Ballroom - April 1, 2009

2009-04-08T11:54:00.017-04:00

Last week we saw The Whip at Bowery Ballroom and, as expected, they killed it. From the moment they hit the stage, the crowd was amped and loving every minute of it (my posse of dancing maniacs helped create the awesome vibe, no doubt!) What's incredible about The Whip's live performance is that you don't need time to warm up or get in the groove to their music. Instead, they hit you like a ton of dancing bricks the second the first note is played and immediately your feet are moving, your head is bopping, and you're having the time of your life!

As the openers, they played a lengthy 50 minute set which included fan favorites "Blackout" and "Trash" as well as new songs, which were incredible. The new songs fit in seamlessly with the older stuff and though the new material doesn't sound any different from the music on their first album, when your debut is as perfect and kick ass as "X Marks Destination" is, it's not necessarily a bad idea to try to recreate the sounds on there.

Also, I must mention the fist pumping that occurs at a Whip show. It actually occurs onstage by the band members themselves. They do it so frequently and with so many variations (up and down, side to side, from the waist, etc) that you would think they invented the move (and practiced it during soundcheck). I wish I had some video or photos to show the awesomeness, but you'll just have to see them yourself to witness the action! Luckily, my friend Olga Bas was there and she took some great shots--some even feature the band members mid-fist pump! The Whip showed us how Manchester parties--and we like it!

Check out more of Olga's photos here.

Elemeno P (cue are S)

2009-04-05T01:25:00.007-04:00

Okay, I admit that sometimes (okay, a lot of times) we here at NYC2LON are a little slow with finding awesome bands. Sometimes the gems slip between our fingers and it takes us a wee while to scoop them back up again. And to be fair, this blog is called NYC2LON not, NYC2NZ (although, I'm considering a name change as of late...) Anyway, onto the point. On Thursday, I was introduced to New Zealand's Elemeno P (I added the cue are S) and while they have three albums under their belts I still feel that this blog should show some love to our new favorite country for music. (We recently discovered fellow New Zealander's Bang! Bang! Eche! at this year's SXSW)! Their nearly year old junior self-titled effort includes their single "Louder Louder" which is ridiculously infectious and just makes you want to hear more! Lead singer Dave Gibson's vocals are somewhat raspy, as if he just got over a cold, but it's fitting for their somewhat twee rock 'n' roll. My other favorite song off this album is "Beverly Laurel" which has a call to arms feel to it. Their songs are jangly but rock inspired (think The Hold Steady) and ultimately are just plain fun. If only we had discovered them sooner! Here's hoping for some tour dates in New York, London, and New Zealand sometime soon!

I Love the 90s

2009-04-03T00:28:00.007-04:00

I'm pretty sure everybody loves the 90s, and really, why shouldn't you? That was a decade full of pop gems and guilty pleasures, and, not to mention, hammer pants! While the 90s may be remembered for the fluff (I'm looking at you, Spice Girls) it was also when Brit Pop flourished, and thank God for that! So, while you can expect to hear the cheesy pop of the 90s, you can also expect to hear the likes of Blur, Happy Mondays, The Las, New Order, Oasis, Primal Scream, Pulp, Radiohead, The Stone Roses, and so on! So, as the flyer states, I love the 90s takes place every Friday at the O2 Academy Islington (that's London, people) where you can relive the glory days with unabashed enthusiasm for your favorite decade for over four hours every week!

The Final Adventure of Illinois' Kid Catastrophe

2009-04-01T00:01:00.013-04:00

Illinois, the band behind probably the greatest marketing/distribution plan of the digital age, have finally completed their 'Adventures of Kid Catastrophe' series. As of yesterday, the latest installment, or Chapter 6, is exclusively available for your viewing pleasure over at Black Book Mag.com. Also, if that wasn't enough for you (you greedy sons of bitches), The Music Slut has an MP3 of 'Kid Catastrophe' just for you! To tie this all up neatly, Illinois will be releasing 'The Adventures of Kid Castrophe' Deluxe Edition on May 5th. The bundle will include all 18 songs and 6 film chapters of the six-month undertaking, plus 2 bonus songs and 2 bonus video chapters. So, in all, that's 20 songs and 8 video chapters in digital form. It will also include a digi-booklet of the artwork that has accompanied each chapter of the campaign. A physical release will follow on June 9th.

The deluxe edition release fiesta (Spanish pun intended) is falling on Cinco de Mayo (as if you needed another reason to party) at New York's Mercury Lounge with Holly Miranda and Kenan Bell. But not to worry, Illinois have several remaining tour dates supporting 'The Adventures of Kid Catastrophe' in the following cities:

Mar 31 - Sunset Tavern (w/Kenan Bell) - Seattle, WA
Apr 3 - 7th St Entry - Minneapolis, MN
Apr 4 - Subterranean - Chicago, IL
Apr 5 - Beachland Tavern - Cleveland, OH
Apr 7 - Lulu's (w/Dinosaur Jr.) - State College, PA
May 5 - Mercury Lounge - New York, NY
May 6 - Johnny Brenda's - Philadelphia, PA
May 7 - DC 9 - Washington, DC
May 12 - Great Scott - Boston, MA
May 16 - Sarah Lawrence College - Bronxville, NY

The Whip Whip It Across the USA

2009-03-31T11:48:00.011-04:00

Pardon the pun. We here at NYC2LON enjoy double entendres very much and like to make use of them whenever we can. I'm also pretty sure The Whip have never heard that one before, so kudos to me for being oh so original. Anyway...The Whip kick ass. I discovered them in 2007 in London when they opened for The Sunshine Underground at the Scala (RIP) and now see them whenever they come to New York. Lucky for me, they're playing our fair city this week with Late of the Pier: April 1 at Bowery Ballroom and April 3 (for those who hate April Fools' Day) at Studio B. They're also doing a special afternoon DJ set on April 3 at the brand new Topshop USA New York flagship store in Soho--all the more reason to take the day off and go shopping! Make sure you check them out if you like having fun, dancing to awesome music, and/or cute ginger bassists.

More live dates in April:
4 Philadelphia, PA @ TLA*
7 Washington, DC @ 930 Club*
8 Boston, MA @ Paradise*
9 Montreal, Canada @ Les Saintes**
10 Toronto, Canada @ Kool Haus*
11 Chicago, IL @ Congress*
14 Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey**
15 Portland, OR @ Dantes**
16 San Francisco, CA @ Pop Scene**
19 Las Vegas, NV @ Hard Rock
20 Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland**
21 Los Angeles, CA @ Cinespace **

*with DeadMau5 and Late of the Pier
**with Late of the Pier

... and we're back

2009-03-31T00:09:00.009-04:00

The original NY2LON is no longer with us, so we've decided to bring it back here (like Jesus on Easter). Check back here for regular updates on all things indie: from New York City to London!!