Show Alert: Wilderness @ The Echo - 12/9/08

I associate Wilderness' 2005 self-titled debut with the worst summer of my life. The record was released on July 5 -- over a month into my grueling studies for the California Bar Exam. With over three weeks until the most important three days of my life, Wilderness provided with me an escape, a release, a, well, wilderness. I'd let the driving percussion, ringing guitar, and James Johnson's guttural vocals wash over me and remind me that life existed outside of the library.

In the three years since then, Wilderness have released two more LPs: 2006's Vessel States and last month's (k)no(w)here. The band have stuck to their guns and offered more of the derived yet distinct grooves found on their debut.

Wilderness will be showcasing their mesmerizing strain of post-rock at The Echo on December 9. Info and tickets ($10) here. Check them live from Brooklyn last March:

Live: Cut Copy @ The Echo - 3/10/08

Cut Copy played a sold out show at The Echo on Monday night. I arrived with an extra ticket and had no problem selling it to one of the 100+ hopeful concertgoers queued up outside the venue. After a quick face-value transaction, I slipped inside to catch the end of openers Walter Meego, who are definitely worth checking out.

After a brief equipment change, Cut Copy took the stage and got right down to business, blazing through an almost non-stop 45 minute set. They played a ton of new stuff as well as selections from Bright Like Neon Love. For as much live instrumentation and vocals they use, Cut Copy are still a dance act at heart, and the amped up crowd thrived on the band's tight, sleek energy. I'm usually not a fan of sweating at shows, but dancing and clapping to Cut Copy is an exception I'll always make.

Partial Setlist:
"So Haunted"
"Hearts On Fire"
"Lights and Music"
"Time Stands Still"
"Future"
"Going Nowhere"
"That Was Just A Dream/Zap Zap"

Upcoming Shows:

Mar 12 2008 8:00P	Karma Lounge - Modular SXSW Showcase	Austin, Texas
Mar 15 2008 8:00P	Studio B	New York, New York
Mar 17 2008 8:00P	Mercury Lounge SOLD OUT!! w/ holy ghost and fever	New York, New York
Mar 29 2008 8:00P	V FESTIVAL Sydney	Sydney, New South Wales
Mar 30 2008 8:00P	V FESTIVAL gold coast	gold Coast, Queensland
Apr 5 2008 8:00P	V FESTIVAL Melbourne	Melbourne, Victoria
Apr 6 2008 8:00P	V FESTIVAL Perth	Perth, Western Australia
Apr 23 2008 7:00P	Scala	London, London and South East
Apr 25 2008 8:00P	COACHELLA	Indio, California
Apr 26 2008 8:00P	MEZZANINE w/ simian mobile disco & black kids	San Francisco, California
Apr 28 2008 8:00P	DOUG FIR LOUNGE w/ black kids	Portland, Oregon
Apr 29 2008 8:00P	Richards On Richards w/ black kids	Vancouver, British Columbia
Apr 30 2008 8:00P	NEUMO’S w/ black kids	Seattle, Washington
May 2 2008 8:00P	URBAN LOUNGE w/ black kids	Salt Lake City, Utah
May 3 2008 8:00P	LARIMER LOUNGE w/ black kids	Denver, Colorado
May 5 2008 8:00P	WAITING ROOM w/ black kids	Omaha, Nebraska
May 6 2008 8:00P	7th Street Entry w/ black kids	Minneapolis, Minnesota
May 7 2008 8:00P	ABBEY PUB w/ black kids	Chicago, Illinois
May 8 2008 8:00P	MAGIC STICK w/ black kids	Detroit, Michigan
May 9 2008 8:00P	LEE’S PLACE w/ black kids	Toronto, Ontario
May 10 2008 8:00P	Cabaret Musee Juste Pour Rine w/ black kids	Montreal, Quebec
May 12 2008 8:00P	PARADISE w/ black kids	Boston, Massachusetts
May 13 2008 8:00P	STUDIO B - w/ black kids	Brooklyn, New York
May 14 2008 8:00P	Bowery Ballroom w/ Mobius Band / T&T (Tim Goldsworthy & Tim Sweeney)	New York City, New York
May 15 2008 8:00P	BLACK CAT w/ black kids	Washington DC, Washington DC
May 16 2008 8:00P	PURE w/ black kids	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 17 2008 8:00P	SONAR - w/black kids	Baltimore, Maryland

Cut Copy: Echo Tix and So Cosmic Mixtape Now Available

As previously reported, Cut Copy are playing The Echo on 3/10/08. Tix are now available through TicketWeb for $15/ea. As you may know, The Echo ain't big so get in while ya can!

Also available is a free Cut Copy mp3 mixtape entitled So Cosmic. You can download it from their blog. In addition to the music and coverart, the band has posted a handy tracklist with commentary for each song on the mixtape.

And, as noted by alert reader Celesté, the new album "In Ghost Colours" is out on 4/10/08 in the United States.

Show Alert: Cut Copy @ The Echo - 3/10/08

Ok, BIG news in SSM world! One of Melbourne's finest (the other being The Avalanches) is going to stop by La La Land in March for an intimate show at The Echo. For those of you who don't know, Cut Copy is a superfun, sleek, electro indie-dance group. Their debut Bright Like Neon Love -- recently named Pitchfork's "most obviously overlooked" release of the past few years -- is the most enjoyable dance record I've heard, no doubt thanks to live guitar and drums (and Philippe Zdar's production). March will also see the release of their sophomore effort In Ghost Colours, produced by Tim Goldsworthy of DFA fame. I actually saw Cut Copy in October '05 when they opened for TV on the Radio and Franz Ferdinand. That show is what made me pick up their disc. Not sure when tix go on sale, but stay tuned to find out!

Live: Fujiya and Miyagi

Last week I was lucky enough to catch Fujiya & Miyagi at The Echo. I've been jamming out in my car to Transparent Things for months now and was very excited to see them. Originally they were to open for Peter Bjorn & John at The Fonda, but for some reason that gig was postponed (until 7/31, if anyone is taking notes). Thankfully F & M opted to do their own headlining gig in a smaller venue.

Man, these guys can groove. The bassist lays down rhythms that lock on to triggered beats, while the lead vocalist plays clean guitar licks and chords. The whole sound is accented by various keyboard and sample flourishes and is extremely catchy and danceable. All three band members sing, but it wasn't until this show that I realized the lead vocalist is more of an MC than a singer, speaksinging many of the lyrics and delivering a sometimes constant flow.

If you can, catch them at any of the following appearances:

May 31 2007 8:00A	PRIMAVERA SOUND FESTIVAL	BARCELONA
Jun 15 2007 8:00P	LE TRIPTYQUE	PARIS
Jun 19 2007 8:00A	THE POINT	CARDIFF, Wales
Jun 20 2007 8:00A	SOCIAL	NOTTINGHAM
Jun 21 2007 8:00A	NIGHT & DAY	MANCHESTER
Jun 22 2007 8:00A	THE FAVERSHAM	LEEDS
Jun 25 2007 8:00A	KOROVA MILK BAR	LIVERPOOL
Jun 26 2007 8:00A	AUDIO	BRIGHTON
Jun 28 2007 8:00A	THEKLA	BRISTOL
Jun 29 2007 8:00A	LUMINAIRE - SOLD OUT	LONDON
Jun 30 2007 8:00A	PRAIRIE DES FILTRES PARK	TOULOUSE
Jul 6 2007 12:00A	SEAPORT MUSIC FESTIVAL	NEW YORK
Jul 7 2007 8:00P	JOHNNY BRENDA'S	PHILADELPHIA
Jul 9 2007 8:00P	MIDDLE EAST DOWNSTAIRS	BOSTON
Jul 10 2007 8:00P	LAMBI	MONTREAL
Jul 11 2007 8:00P	LEGENDARY HORSESHOE TAVERN	TORONTO
Jul 12 2007 8:00P	GROG SHOP, CLEVELAND HEIGHTS	CLEVELAND
Jul 28 2007 8:00P	SECRET GARDEN PARTY	HUNTINGDON, CAMBRIDGESHIRE
Aug 11 2007 8:00P	BLOOM FESTIVAL	DYRHAM PARK, GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Aug 16 2007 8:00P	ROUTE DE ROCK FESTIVAL	ST. MALO
Sep 1 2007 8:00A	ELECTRIC PICNIC FESTIVAL	STRADBALLY, CO. LAOIS
Sep 8 2007 8:00A	BESTIVAL	ISLE OF WIGHT, South

Photo by Jonathon David.