Dinosaur Jr. played Bug at Terminal 5

After a rather enthralling interview conducted by Henry Rollins, in which the band discussed their early influences, recordings, shows, and other general happenings in the late 1980s punk scene, Dinosaur Jr. retreated backstage before the lights dimmed. When they returned, J Mascis claimed it was a bit awkward to start the night with "Freak Scene" and instead ripped through "In a Jar" and the best non-Barlow track "The Wagon". From there on in, it was Bug from start to finish. Mascis and Co. tore away through each track as if the album was released yesterday, playing with such intensity lost among current bands let alone other actual dinosaurs of their age. Dwarfed by three Marshall stacks, J Mascis shredded away at his guitar rivaling sonic tendencies of Air Force jets. The soaring solos were balanced with thunderous rhythm as Murph punched away on the skins and Lou Barlow's mudded bass sent waves of fuzz through the room. Normally bands of Dinosaur Jr.'s nature (in the loud noisy sense as not too many bands actually match the musical level of these titans) face trouble in the box that is Terminal 5, however these guys blasted away without missing a beat. When the setlist is included in the headline of the show, there really leaves little room for guessing what's next or much banter for the band. Mascis only spoke once to say "this is the power ballad song on the album" before launching into "Pond Song". Towering guitar riffs were taken to dizzying heights for "Let it Ride" and "Pond Song" and due to strained vocals suffered performing the last track on the first night, a lucky fan was invited to nail the powerful screams of "Don't". The encore consisted of a killer "Feel the Pain" and guest vocals from Fucked Up frontman Pink Eyes (they crushed the opening set) during the final song of the evening, a cover of Last Rights' "Chunks".

Setlist
01. In a Jar
02. The Wagon
03. Freak Scene
04. No Bones
05. They Always Come
06. Yeah We Know
07. Let it Ride
08. Budge
09. Pond Song
10. The Post
11. Don't
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12. Out There
13. Feel the Pain
14. Chunks (Last Rights Cover)

Radiohead - "Staircase"

New Radiohead track performed live featuring Clive Deamer of Portishead.

"Here's a new track called Staircase, taken from our upcoming 'From The Basement' session:

And no, you're not seeing double. The doppelganger drummers are myself and Clive Deamer. Clive has long been one of my favourite drummers and so I was really excited when he agreed to perform with us. Hope you like what we've all done."

via Dead Air Space

Atlas Sound played St. Ceceilia's

Massive layers of sound rippled through the sanctuary as Atlas Sound helped kick off the 2011 Northside Festival. Droning guitars and warped vocals combusted releasing waves of sonic textures over the pews as haunting shadows lurked behind Bradford Cox. A handful of new songs were mixed in with recent favorites. The segue of "Walkabout" -> "Shelia" was a particular highlight as was the epic shoegaze guitar swirling finale of "Attic Lights" which brought the main set to a close. The cavernous halls of the church allowed for the sound to really grab hold, however the restricted views and stiff pews provided a far from comfortable vantage point and the humid summer heat of New York did not do any favors. Bradford apologized for the lack of old material which he simply could not remember, but instead kicked off the encore with an improvised jam followed by another new track. While his presence in Deerhunter is felt in each song, when Cox is alone on stage his true audiophile traits rise to the surface showcasing a real genius at work.



*Thanks to Emily for the photo and company!

Twin Sister - "Bad Street"

Long Island Dream-Pop quintet Twin Sister gained some attention last year with an excellent EP and one of my favorite songs of 2010. Pitchfork has announced that the band will release their debut album on September 27 via Domino. The record will be called In Heaven and the first single "Bad Street" can be streamed below. Head to Pitchfork for the tracklist and upcoming tour dates.

Twin Sister - Bad Street by DominoRecordCo

Beirut - "East Harlem"

New Beirut single "East Harlem" is out today via his own label.

Beirut - East Harlem by Revolver USA