Rare live Matthew De Gennaro live happenings this week

The irregularity of Matthew De Gennaro live happenings is nothing new, especially to those that have followed him for years. MDG's departure from his rural Michigan home this coming weekend is cause célèbre for fortunate upper midwesterners... He's performing not one, but two gigs with the venerable Scott Tuma & yours truly could not be more excited. The performances come in advance of his sadly-delayed beautiful new LP Chuang Tzu Motherfucker as well as his limited forthcoming cassette release, Old Jack Somebody (both available "soon"). Before those hit the streets, let's revel in this rare opportunity to witness the man in a live performance realm. 

10/25 - Milwaukee, WI - Anodyne (with Scott Tuma, Black Eagle Child)
10/26 - Minneapolis, MN - Eagle's Club (with Jon Mueller, Scott Tuma, John Marks)

To whet yr appetite for the gigs / records, have a listen to this wonderful tune from the forthcoming LP:

Brute Heart release 7" via M'Lady's

The excellent, unique & wonderful Brute Heart have released a brilliant new 7" single, available now (I think?) from the intercontinental label M' Lady's. Here's their words -

We're incredibly proud to be issuing this single. Brute Heart are from Minneapolis, and have already released two truly deep albums (their self-released debut "Brass Beads" and last year's "Lonely Hunter" on Soft Abuse). Jackie, Crystal, and Crystal know the power of echo and the power of tonality, and bring it round like the crazy world of Arthur Russell all over again! This single will get under your skin fast. We've cavalierly suggested in the past the possibility of a "DOUBLE A SIDE" single. This, my friends, is truly such a specimen.

Though not from the same sessions, both tunes seem cut from the same cloth that bequeathed Lonely Hunter. This one is a must-have. Check out the B side at SoundCloud.

Minnepolis people take note: the band play a release gig for the single this Saturday at Kitty Cat Klub, along with Painted Saints and les ourses.

Pigeons support Cate Le Bon this week

Our beloved Pigeons have been hand-picked by the psych-fuzz chanteuse Cate Le Bon to open a few of her gigs this week in the NYC zone, here's the details -

02/09 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge (with Cate Le Bon) [tickets]
02/10 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's (with Cate Le Bon) [tickets]

Word from the band points to a US tour in May -- more details on this front as soon as they materialize.

Don't forget, They Sweetheartstammers is out now on LP / DL!

Pumice "Pebbles" LP launch gig photos

Auckland photographer Petra Jane took a few photographs at the recent Pumice "Pebbles" LP launch gig at The Wine Cellar, and was kind enough to allow us to post a few of them here. Stefan Neville was joined by Rosy Parlane for the gig, which featured the two performing "Pebbles" in sequence. More photos can be found at Petras' site - check 'em out. We'll hopefully have video to share before too long...

Pigeons live at CMJ 2011

Brilliant footage has surfaced of Pigeons' performance at yesterday's Chouette Promotion / DeStijl Records / Soft Abuse soiree at Bruar Falls for CMJ 2011. Here the band performed as a duo line-up of Wednesday Knudsen and Clark Griffin, amidst sets by Jerusalem & the Starbaskets, Forest Fire and Amen Dunes.

Pigeons share live studio session & tour, too!

The wonderful Bronx-based Pigeons are set to unleash their latest (and greatest) album, They Sweetheartstammers, via Soft Abuse on 8 November. In the meantime, the foursome (Wednesday Knudsen, Clark Griffin, Jason Meagher and Nathan Bowles) have hopped the pond for a few shows in the UK and Belgium. Pester your friends over there to check 'em out!

06 October - London - St Giles In The Fields (with Grouper, Chris Forsyth)
07 October - Newcastle - Tusk Festival (with Grouper, Bill Orcutt)
12 October - Brussels - Micro Marche


To satiate the hearts & minds of those that can't catch them in the coming days, we've got a special offering -- four live tracks the band laid down at Black Dirt Studios in late August (complete with ad hoc accompanying artwork by yours truly). Freshly uploaded to our SoundCloud page, here's all four songs for your enjoyment --

Pigeons - Live at Black Dirt by Soft Abuse

Pumice "Pebbles" LP release gig, 15 October

Stefan Neville, AKA Pumice, has planned a launch gig for the newly-released LP reissue of his 2007 opus Pebbles on 15 October at the Wine Cellar in Auckland. He's recruited the peerless Rosy Parlane to assist in playing the album front-to-back.

Here's a word from Stefan himself about the proceedings --

I recorded Pebbles in 2006 at home in Kingsland with a precarious pile of instruments on a weary 8 track tape machine. I was in a downstairs room & much of it was recorded as quietly as possible so as not to disturb flatmates upstairs.

Pebbles originally came out on CD in 2007 on Soft Abuse Records (Minneapolis,USA) and the same label has now had it remastered & re-released on LP in a limited edition of 300 which also comes with a download code.

To celebrate I have decided to play the whole album live. To do this I've enlisted Rosy Parlane to play piano, bass, ukelele & keyboards while I handle drums, guitar, reed organ, vocals & tapes. We will play three short sets consisting of Side One, Side Two & some extras at the end.

Look for photos & video from the gig as soon as we get 'em. Order your copy of Pebbles (on CD, CS or LP) here.

Primitive Motion debut new song live

Brisbane's Primitive Motion (Sandra Selig and Leighton Craig) recently played their first-ever live show. The duo debuted a new song called 'Home of the Lone Coast (Tears of the Lost Ghost),' and it's killer. Check out the live recordings from their newly minted Soundcloud page -

Primitive Motion - Home of the Lone Coast (Tears of the Lost Ghost) by Kindlingrecords

Brute Heart live at Public Fixture, LA

...a few photographs from Brute Heart's show at Public Fixture Gallery in LA (they performed behind the BELIEVE sign). Great sets all-around from Brute Heart, Warm Climate, and Metal Rouge at this awesome venue...

Primitive Motion live debut tomorrow night!

Primitive Motion (Sandra Selig & Leighton Craig) make their live debut tomorrow night at the Bastard Theatre of Brisbane. Here's the word from LC himself -

11th hour notice of Primitive Motion's debut gig tomorrow night at The Bastard Theartre of Brisbane #3, Contortionist Studios, 1/13 Lucinda St, Woolloongabba. 7pm, BYO.

Expect new wave. With sax.

Playing with Whores, Brain Drain, Pink Mouse and Keptis.

We'll have a few copies of our Soft Abuse single for sale at the show.

PM's debut single is available now & their first full-length (By Arc or Chord) is coming up shortly...

Video from Horrid Red's debut live show

First video (that I've found) from the string of debut shows from Horrid Red this past week. This one's taken from their debut show, at Haunted Oak in Davis, CA (a house venue; RIP The Hub). I'll share some live photos from their gig at The Echo shortly...

Horrd Red plot tour & prep new EP

Trans-continental post-punks HORRID RED release a new EP, Silent Party, in time for their debut live performances in June. This freshly hatched EP recorded March 2011 in Berlin & San Francisco, in anticipation of their summer tour, kicks off with the somewhat funky title track (it might be a fun party jam if it wasn't so creepy). From there it descends into the Red Western nightmare that is The Horror & The Cruelty, built on a galloping Wall of Voodoo beat & twangy guitars. Meanwhile the b-side mini-opus Marble Staircase Parts I & II comes on like a Colin Newman solo track, with atonal crooning over watery guitars, and dissolves into a morbid piano ballad (featuring Clay Ruby tickling the ivories). Tying it all together as always is Bunker Wolf's inimitable German-language rants & producer Edmund Xavier's high lonesome guitar melodies.

Horrid Red will make their live debut in June, as a six piece (!!), on a four-day trek through California. Yours truly is making the trip out to bear witness.

16 June - Sacramento, CA - The Hub (with Burial Hex, Ganglians)
17 June - San Francisco, CA - Hemlock Tavern (with Burial Hex, Brute Heart)
18 June - Santa Cruz, CA - Brookdale Lodge (with Brute Heart, Fresh & Onlys, Donovan Quinn)
19 June - Los Angeles, CA - The Echo / Part Time Punks

Brute Heart album release May 14th at Turf Club, video forthcoming

Minneapolis art-punk trio Brute Heart will release their second album, Lonely Hunter, on June 7th. Fans and friends in the Minneapolis area will have the chance to spin it sooner; the band is throwing a release party this coming Saturday, May 14, at the Turf Club. Also appearing will be Jerusalem & the Starbaskets (check their new LP Dost on DeStijl), Tender Meat, Lighted, and Patches, with DJ Tumbleweed spinning between bands. All of this for $6. The release show poster comes courtesy of LandLand.

Last week the band filmed a music video with MPLS.TV in their practice space (Jackie's garage). Despite interference from the authorities, the video was actually completed & will be released this coming week. In the meantime check out the photo session from that evening...

Donovan Quinn & 13th Month play KUSF benefit

Embattled, excellent free-form radio station KUSF are holding a benefit show this coming Wednesday, and our man Donovan Quinn (& the 13th Month) will be performing. The show marks the debut of the all-new 13th Month line-up, which now includes Michael Tapscott (of Odawas, etc) on synth. Check the show, help the station...

The official word --

Wednesday May 4, 2011
7:00pm door, 8:00pm show

Tartufi and the Verdi Club Present
DARK NIGHTS:
A BENEFIT FOR KUSF

Featuring:
Mammatus
Tartufi
Donovan Quinn & the 13th Month
Life Coach (Phil Manley of Trans Am)

http://www.verdiclub.net/events.html

Pumice NZ tour with Eat Skull

Fresh off his performance at the Lines of Flight Fest in Dunedin, the mighty Pumice is set to rear up yet again, over the course of three nights in support of the always-great Eat Skull.

20 April - Wellington - Eat Skull, Pumice, Full Fuckn Moon @ Mighty Mighty
21 April - Whanganui - Eat Skull, Pumice @ Arc Theatre
23 April - Auckland - Eat Skull, Pumice (Borderline Music Fest) @ Whammy Bar

And here's a few short clips of Pumice's performance from Lines of Flight, a stellar three day festival that also included sets from The Futurians, Dead C, Alastair Galbraith, Seht, and heaps more. These snippets will appear in longer form on the upcoming Pumice full-length, due later in the year.

Pigeons / D Charles Speer live in New Orleans

Yours truly had the distinct pleasure of catching two Pigeons gigs last week, in Pensacola and New Orleans. Now a quartet with Jeason Meagher on bass and Nathaniel Bowles on drums, the band has never sounded better. I managed to snap a few photos in New Orleans of both Pigeons and D. Charles Speer ("solo trio"), who were touring behind the release of the new LP, Arghiledes, on Thrill Jockey.

Donovan Quinn video - new song, live

Good ol' Donovan Quinn recently opened a string of shows for Six Organs of Admittance, and the video above features our pal playing an as-yet released new song solo with a modified acoustic 12 string. Check elsewhere for live footage of The New Bums, his duo with Ben Chasny, playing a few tunes from a forthcoming full-length.

Live Deadnotes footage, in support of The Clean

The Clean recently made their first trip to Australia in twenty-something years. Their gig in Brisbane was particularly excellent, with support from Blank Realm and our very own The Deadnotes (with The Legend!). A few live clips have surfaced via the Eternal Soundcheck blog; check them out --

In June

More info soon...

Blackout Beach live album now available!

Carey Mercer, the principle songwriter in Frog Eyes, has released a live document of the first (and as yet, only) live performance of Blackout Beach. The album is now available from his Bandcamp page for a mere $2.99. Here's what he has to say about the release --

This is a live record from August 2010 of the only Blackout Beach live performance, focusing on mostly tracks off of Skin of Evil, released by Soft Abuse records. I read some poems and stories. My mom did the door, and my dad was the bouncer. My friends came. It was a nice night. All tracks are 24-bit 48 whatever...

Accompanying Mercer as Blackout Beach are Melanie Campbell and Megan Boddy, both of whom contributed to Skin of Evil.