Read day 1 of Catalpa.

Day 2 of Catalpa was the very thing promoters were hoping the fest would be. Sun for practically the whole day and intriguing acts from early on.

Read more including photos of Snoop Dogg, AraabMusik, Girl Talk, Matt and Kim, Cold War Kids and more after the jump.
continue reading "Catalpa NYC Hits Its Stride on Day 2 With Snoop Dogg, Girl Talk, Matt and Kim, AraabMusik and More"

Given their frenetic touring schedule, and the high-praise they have received from blogs and print alike, it’s a wonder how These United States remain aloof among those well-versed music lovers who wear their idiosyncrasies on their sleeves who call themselves Alt-country fans.

Read more of the review after the jump.
continue reading "Looking Back at Northside 2012: These United States at The Knitting Factory"

March is upon us and the albums keep coming. This week features two artists on the opposite ends of the musical spectrum with Andrew Bird and Kaiser Chiefs. Will fans love Bird’s Break it Yourself? Is Kaiser Chiefs’ Start the Revolution Without Me a return to form? Find out after the jump.

continue reading "Album Reviews: Andrew Bird and Kaiser Chiefs"

Fleet Foxes returned triumphantly to New York as they ended the season at the Williamsburg Waterfront. The band headlined two sold-out nights at the United Palace Theatre in May and after a successful summer, returned to deliver yet another spirited and evocative performance.

Fleet Foxes – Mykonos

Fleet Foxes bring beautiful vocal harmonies to draw in any crowd. Concerts become intimate affairs as the space closes in and the focal point shifts to lush melodies and cascading musical shifts. Inviting and beautiful, it’s a very organic experience. A campfire among friends. After the gorgeous sunset to end The Walkmen’s supporting set, Fleet Foxes welcomed fans with a short message; “you are at a musical concert congratulations.”

Full review of the night after the jump
continue reading "Fleet Foxes End the Summer at Williamsburg Waterfront"

Photos by Charles Poladian, words by Carly Creed
Beirut – East Harlem

In the wake of the now kiboshed Pool Parties, day two of the Northside Festival featured an outdoor event with great promise, a day in the sun with Yellow Ostrich, Sharon van Etten, and Beirut. Although there were some passing thunderstorms, festival goers were rewarded for their dedication with an authentic double-rainbow (what does it meeean?) and a memorable day of good feelings and great music.

The past few summers for me have always been marked by at least one mind-blowing outdoor concert in Williamsburg. Much to my relief, Northside has stepped up to fill the void with several concerts in McCarren Park. The result is a bare-bones venue for music lovers to enjoy live music (and to splurge on delicious stands and specialty beer).

To get the negative commentary through first, the only issue with McCarren Park Pool was one any outdoor show deals with; the bathroom line. By the end of Beirut’s set, the bathroom line was about thirty people in but that tends to be the case when you are at an outdoor concert. It would be more efficient to leave the venue and find facilities somewhere else.

Thunderstorms clouded the skies, obscuring the Empire State Building on the horizon all afternoon but festival goers were prepared to make the best of it. The dedication of the fans warmed my heart as people crouched together under umbrellas and makeshift ponchos. Even people who outside of the confines of the park waited patiently to beat the rain for a chance to hear the bands. Fortunately, everyone was rewarded with not only Yellow Ostrich’s performance but a true “Double Rainbow”—what a beautiful start to a beautiful evening.

continue reading "Northside Festival Goes Outdoors with Beirut, Sharon Van Etten and Yellow Ostrich"