Photographs by Paul Wagtouicz

Something rather strange occurred at last night’s Big Boi show at Williamsburg’s Brooklyn Bowl. The Atlanta MC, who constitutes half of legendary funk-rap combo OutKast but is no slouch as a solo artist, came out playing most of OutKast’s most well-known tracks at the front of his set, aiming to take the crowd from zero to 60 in mere seconds. “Ms. Jackson,” “Rosa Parks,” “So Fresh, So Clean,” “Da Art of Storytellin’, Part 2″ and many other certified classics gushed from the speakers. But what the crowd really was looking for was—gasp—the new material, referring to Big Boi’s recent affair, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty. Eventually, he worked his way into that record with “Shutterbug” (which arguably got the biggest reaction of the night), “Fo Yo Sorrows” and “Shine Blockas,” but we can’t help but think that the crowd left craving more. Big Boi, who admirably splayed rhymes over never-too-intrusive backing tracks, eventually welcomed Yelawolf to the stage for a rendition of “You Ain’t No DJ,” one that found the Alabama up-and-comer darting across the stage and leading the crowd in an “OutKast…for life!” chant.

Though we can’t imagine it’s entirely Big Boi’s fault for the somewhat-unfulfilling show, perhaps he backed too far into the shadow of Notorious B.I.G. by spelling out B-I-G noticeably several times, of course referring to himself. And though Notorious B.I.G.’s body has long vacated the borough, evoking his spirit in Brooklyn might never be an effective strategy for a visiting rapper, Southern legend or not.

In the clip for “Gucci Time,” Atlanta’s Gucci Mane and Swizz Beatz (or Mr. Alicia Keys) strut around in some kind of psychedelic dream sequence, not unlike that episode of The Simpsons in which Homer eats hallucination-inducing chili and communicates with a talking fox voiced by Johnny Cash. There are spinning clocks, dozens of Michael Bay–scale explosions, stop-motion framework and Gucci wearing a mink stole across his brow. What’s not to like? Besides the part where Swizz raps, of course. “Brrrr!,” everybody.

Time Out New York: I understand you just had a son. Congratulations.
Noah Lennox (Panda Bear): Thanks, man! Having two kids is definitely…nobody tells you. ‘Cause when you have one, you think, Okay, two is just going to be double this. But nobody tells you it’s really like four or five times that. They kind of compound on top of each other a little bit. But we’re doin’ good.

Click past the jump for the rest of the interview.

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Photos by Loren Wohl

All Tomorrow’s Parties’ weekend-long lovefest culminated in a Sunday’s Jim Jarmusch–curated lineup, a bill that included Toronto’s Fucked Up, San Francisco’s Girls, Staten Island’s Raekwon and the much-anticipated Sunn O)))/Boris Altar performance.

Click past the jump for more.

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Photos by Loren Wohl

Though Saturday’s ATP lineup was fraught with—what else?—veteran indie rock outfits, a few broke through with outstanding sets. Beak>, the recently TONY-featured group that contains Portishead member Geoff Barrow, filled the room on that fact but justified the attention with a pulsating, Can-esque set of krautrock.

Click past for Tortoise, Explosions in the Sky, Shellac and Hannibal Buress’s stunning rendition of “Bennie and the Jets”

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Photos by Loren Wohl

While the first day at Kutsher’s (read our All Tomorrow’s Parties preview here) is a period meant for exploring the strange, overly carpeted, mice-ridden former country club (when an audience member called out that he found a Band-Aid in his room during Todd Barry’s comedy set, Barry replied, “Well, maybe it was for the bleeding floor”), the main ballroom stage was a haven for cultish rock icons. Australia’s the Scientists, whose postpunk style predated the prevalence of the sound in the early ’90s NYC underground, played its first American show to open the festival, issuing spastic solos and battering basslines while a cluster of fanatics set the tone for the rest of the crowd. And when we’re talking fanatics of this caliber (people who had driven cross-country to Monticello, New York, for these shows), the bar was set rather high for the rest of the weekend.

Iggy Pop, Mudhoney, Sleep and more after the jump.

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Recently, the Volume sat down with All Tomorrow’s Parties founder Barry Hogan to talk about all things ATP.

Time Out New York: This is my first ATP. Tell me a little bit about the scene at Kutsher’s Country Club, the complex that’s hosting the festival.
Barry Hogan: It’s really nice, in the fact, that you’re there in the hub of it all. But, like, brown water comes out. You’re in the country. You know when you’re at your grandparents’ house or something, and it smells old and dusty? You let the tap run for a minute. There’s crazy stuff like the water from the toilet, it’s hot and it’s steaming, so before you even go to sit down, it’s like, wow. But it’s a good place. It’s like Cocoon meets The Shining. It kind of adds to the character to the event. If it was in some sort of shiny Trump Tower hotel, it wouldn’t have the same cachet.

Click past the jump for more. Read more »

Brooklyn’s consistently awesome Das Racist dropped a series of “Who’s That? Brooown!”–related media today, including a video (above) and a playable video game. On September 14, the TONY-beloved outfit will put out a Diplo-sponsored mixtape called “Sit Down, Man,” a follow-up to March’s “Shut Up, Dude,” a tape that showcased both the group’s signature playfulness and its undeniable rapping prowess. Though the duo has attracted a lot of press attention for its tongue-in-cheek tackling of race, hipsterism and Internet meme-ery, the savvy pair deserves all its accolades; never has irreverence been this charming.

This crisply edited clip for Washed Out’s “Hold Out,” from its adored Life of Leisure EP, chronicles the whirlwind year for the buzz-building new artist; a year that saw Ernest Greene transform from an unsure live performer (his first NYC show, at Santos, was uneven, to say the least) to a SXSW breakout (with help from Small Black). If that’s the lifestyle afforded to a chillwaver, then I think a lot more kids just went out and bought samplers. Good vibes abound in this one.

Thanks to an agreement brokered by the Pool Party’s guardian angel, Chuck Schumer (as well as many others), the final Pool Party is back on for August 29. The recently TONY-featured Delorean will perform alongside Dominique Young Unique and some “very special guests.” Just to get the rumor mill swirling, we’re going to say it’s…Prince. Yeah, Prince.

Check out a recent video of Delorean playing Chicago shot by ForNoOne.tv above.

Today, Baltimore dream-pop stalwarts Beach House put out an iTunes Sessions EP featuring four stripped-down cuts from this year’s Teen Dream as well as a new song, “White Moon” (also on the session is Devotion’s wondrous “Gila”). “White Moon” continues in the vein of Teen Dream, a record that reined in the previous albums’ super spaced-out vibes a little bit, reverb obscuring Victoria Legrand’s vocals a touch less. A simple drum pattern emits from a drum machine, leading the charge on “White Moon,” as the synth and spare guitar line coalesce with Legrand’s pretty, earthy singing: “Shifting dream’s not what it seems, it’s never true/No one knows what we were gonna never do.” Bare, beautiful and vintage Beach House. It’s an early autumn anthem.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers + My Morning Jacket at the Izod Center
Frat-rock poet Tom Petty steps out with My Morning Jacket tonight in Jersey.

Scissor Sisters + Sammy Jo at Terminal 5
Dance-rock stars Scissor Sisters aim to get the big West Midtown room jiving tonight.

Kayo Dot + Cleric + Bad Girlfriend at Bowery Electric
Ever-fascinating Brooklyn postmetal ensemble Kayo Dot—the fevered brainchild of singer, guitarist and composer Toby Driver—plays two sets, offering a world-premiere performance of its new composition, Stained Glass.

Midnight Masses + Submarine Bells + Monogold at Rocks Off Concert Cruise
Dark, dreamy outfit Midnight Masses (also a Live at TONY vet) hits the Concert Cruise circuit tonight.

Chiddy Bang + Donnis + XV at Highline Ballroom
Rap heat-seekers take the stage tonight on a bill that includes KC-based up-and-comer XV.

Check out all of Tuesday’s recommended listings here.

MGMT, despite evidently being capable of filling one of New York’s most famous rooms for two nights, is still a group that still seems very unsure of its identity. We all know (and can hum) the massively popular singles from the otherwise-underwhelming Oracular Spectacular, but we’re also in tune with the Brooklyn-based group’s “controversial” new direction (one that invokes Brian Eno and Television Personalties’ Dan Treacy), where the group crafted more interesting, but less catchy, psych-pop ditties on the recent Congratulations. This band with split attentions—due diligence to playing its most-known songs as well as shaping the new material’s live identity—gave a divided, oddly paced live set.

The sound itself, usually something that’s an asset to any Radio City Music Hall performance, became muddled in mediocrity as lead singer Andrew VanWyngarden’s vocals were pushed back and dialed down, creating a shy karaoke of the band’s own vocal work (which is a pity, as Andrew VW’s vocals are certainly nothing to be ashamed of or scaled back). The song sequence also wobbled; the show closed with the slow-paced, spacey “I Found a Whistle,” and several of the set’s songs culminated in weird, uninteresting jams. Some of Congratulations‘ best tunes, like “Brian Eno” and “Flash Delirium,” were perhaps played too early, leaving the cabinet relatively empty by the time MGMT had worked into the encore.

Though we worry that Congratulations may be forgotten at year-end-list time due to the hullabaloo (rejected Jay-Z collaborations, etc) outside the music itself—the record is seriously solid—the aesthetic and identity of the talented MGMT is just as up in the air as some of the group’s lofty ideas communication on the record. There’s much promise, but the presence and impact of these songs in action is still being developed.

Read our MGMT Q&A here.

More, including a review of Francis and the Lights, after the jump
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Bajah + the Dry Eye Crew at Hudson Square
The recently featured New York–via–Sierra Leone collective bring its colorful music to this downtown outdoor space.

Acrylics + Sebastian Blanck at Cake Shop
Vintage rockers Acrylics join Sebastian Blanck (a recent Live at TONY guest) for this free show.

Holden + Colomboid + Nymph at Zebulon
Wistful, genre-spanning duo Holden joins local avant-rock standouts Nymph in Williamsburg.

Lau at Joe’s Pub
The mossy Scottish folk trio play their captivatingly spooky music in the East Village.

Tyshawn Sorey at Roulette
Roulette hosts drummer Tyshawn Sorey tonight, an innovator on the drums who backs it up with compositional prowess.

Check out all of Tuesday’s recommended shows here.

Photos by Loren Wohl

Yesterday afternoon, Australia’s shimmering dance-rock act Cut Copy showed up at the Williamsburg Waterfront, a quick turnaround from its Saturday night set at Lollapalooza in Chicago. The band members, working with only a few hours of sleep between them, tapped into reserve energy to move the masses, airing cuts from 2008’s In Ghost Colours as well as teir upcoming single, “Blink and You’ll Miss the Revolution.” Though there was a lot of squinting going on in the splendidly sunny environs of East River State Park, there wasn’t much blinking. So, job well done, Cut Copy.

Click past the jump for reviews of Memory Tapes and Glasser

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Though on paper, the second night of a two-night stint can be seen as the undercard (as most critics and press will be in attendance for the first night, which we reviewed here), the stakes were just a little different for last night’s Arcade Fire show at MSG, a show that would be webcast live on YouTube and directed by American-born British filmmaker and Monty Python veteran Terry Gilliam (who gave a pretty great interview to The New York Times‘ Arts Beat blog). The band, knowing that the audience was significantly larger than just those contained in the not-quite-sold-out MSG, had extra incentive to deliver a bombastic, theatrical live show. And (not to gush) the band broke through any kind of preconceived notion of how far it could go on that promise.

Click past the jump for more

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All right, things are just getting a little too easy for Drake and Wayne. First of all, “Right Above It” isn’t even a cut from a full-length—it’s actually destined for Lil Wayne’s awesomely titled upcoming EP, I Am Not a Human Being. Regardless, expect to hear this at least three times every hour on Hot 97. Consider it preparation for when Wayne’s bid at Rikers ends and he’s back on every single song again, effortlessly pumping out lines like, “Life is like a beach/I’m just playin’ in the sand,” while perpetual homeboy Drake chimes in, “I got a couple cars/I never get to use/Don’t like my women single/I like my chicks in twos.”And despite the gripes that may result from two artists so effortlessly dominating the ‘waves, if it’s all as effortlessly anthemic as “Right Above It,” then who cares? It makes us wish we had cars again.

For some higher-quality audio options, head over to Nah Right.

Though the speculation that Freddie Gibbs is going to be the “next big thing” goes back quite a ways, it looks like it’s finally about to tip; besides receiving a “Best New Music” designation for single “National Anthem (Fuck the World)” on Pitchfork and gleaming press for the Str8 Killa EP pretty much across the board, the Gary, Indiana, rapper is beginning to break even outside of music circles. ESPN.com’s massively popular writer Bill Simmons tweeted yesterday that Freddie was “the savior of gangster rap” as he complained about Brett Favre’s retirement announcement stealing Freddie’s Twitter thunder on the day of the EP’s release, even promising to host Freddie on an upcoming edition of Simmons’ ESPN-sponsored podcast. Did I mention that Bill Simmons has 1.2 million followers who just absolutely devour his content? Yeah. Gibbs is about to go viral.

So, scene—S.O.B.’s on a completely unspectacular August Tuesday. Though the audience was probably more hype-gawkers than hard-core rap enthusiasts (save the handful that could rap every word camped out center stage), Freddie delivered a strong, if not workmanlike, performance in his short set, playing many St8 Killa cuts as well as a few mixtape hits like “What It B Like” and “Murda on My Mind.” Check out a video of “National Anthem (Fuck the World)” up top as well as “The Ghetto” after the jump.

Detroit’s Black Milk opened, readying his latest release, Album of the Year, a follow-up to 2008’s gritty, funky Tronic, with layers of percussive rhymes and loads of energy stuffed into his short time on stage. Though the backing band was incredibly tight (bass, drums and keyboard), they managed to drown out the performer some, rather than accentuating Black Milk’s music. But since he’s best known as a producer, not a performer, I’m sure more time on the road can only iron out the onstage mix. Drummer was off the chain, though. Read more »

Though she’s still best known for a megahit recorded in her teens, Sweden’s Robyn has developed into an independent pop music force in the prevailing years with 2005’s Robyn, 2006’s The Rakamonie EP, and now the Body Talk album suite that’s poised to earn rave reviews across the board. Last night’s turn at Music Hall of Williamsburg only solidified that reputation; Robyn delivered a set so energetic that she had to stop and refuel (she ate a banana while the mostly instrumental “Don’t Fucking Tell Me What to Do” played.) The pop star’s new songs (”Dancing on my Own,” and “Dancehall Queen”) were received just as well as her older efforts— songs that, like Swedes themselves, don’t age noticeably. Of all those who’ve tackled the chic “robot” aesthetic (Britney, tourmate Kelis, Janelle Monae), Robyn pulls it off most charmingly, as set opener “Fembot” showcased Robyn’s cheeky, grin-inducing rapping and rabid enthusiasm, something that didn’t dissipate as the night carried on.

Kelis opened, playing pulsating disco tracks from her recent release Flesh Tone, working hard to convey she had moved on from previous hits like “Milkshake” and “Bossy,” popular songs that were never taken that seriously; though she worked both songs into the set, they only existed as brief snippets before the rumbling house music tracks kicked back in. Kelis and Robyn also take this tour to Webster Hall next week August 4 and 5. Tickets for August 4 can be found here; August 5 is sold out.

Check out a live video for “Cry When You Get Older” after the jump Read more »

Photos by Lizz Kuehl

Last night, as a part of Spin’s 25th-anniversary celebration at Terminal 5, Billy Corgan’s constantly revamped Smashing Pumpkins took the stage. TONY contributor Lizz Kuehl was there to capture the Pumpkins’ glory and accompanying effusiveness.