Clusterf*ck: Shows in Baltimore this Weekend

Hey, there's a lot to do this weekend. Let's get to it.

Tonight if you happen to come across Oliver and Guilford, you've got two options. Penthouse Gallery is offering The Great Valley, Brendan Sullivan, Bear & Pieces, and Sun on My Head. Bear & Pieces has a new tape almost ready which I am stoked for, but here's "Falling Down" off of Brendan Sullivan's Wooley Eyes tape.



Just around the corner is another fine bill. Moss of Aura, Power Animal, Winks, and Semya all play in the Annex. Just like the show in the Penthouse, there's a couple artists playing this one that you'll hear new things from on a compilation I'm putting together for Friends Records. Look out for details on that soon, but for now, get Winks' "Weed Makes Sex Weird" stuck in your head.



And last but not least, Friday night the 5th Dimension has a big one at the H&H put together by True Vine and Aural States. Matmos, Konk Pack, and Leprechaun Catering will all blast you with electronic stimuli, for just a $5-10 sliding donation. Jason Willett shared some Konk Pack sounds at Aural States earlier this week.

See what's going on Saturday after the click.

Saturday night the Ottobar has New York's Vivian Girls, with Vermont's Happy Birthday, the United Kingdom's Wet Dog, and our very own Weekends. Vivian Girls were pretty good last time they were around these parts with Ariel Pink. Details on the new Weekends LP will soon be available, which was mixed and mastered by Rob Girardi. It will be called Strange Cultures, and you can expect to hear things from this record very soon. This one's off their debut:



Down at the Annex, you can catch Videohippos, Nuclear Power Pants, Fang Island, and The Chinese Stars. Nuclear Power Pants are about to set off on tour with Height with Friends, and Videohippos just got back from a tour. Add the much hyped Fang Island and the always great Chinese stars, and you've got yourself a show.

Also, don't forget about the Publications and Multiples Fair on Saturday and Sunday.

Photo Review: Ariel Pink's Haunted Grafitti & Vivian Girls

Photos by Chrissy

With another weekend in Baltimore packed to the brim with shows, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti and Vivian Girls' Saturday night gig at the Ottobar looked like a solid choice from the get go. I had a good idea of what to expect from Vivian Girls, but admittedly had no clue what to expect of the artist I am far more familiar with.

Worn Copy's spastic genre hopping and ridiculous song writing anomalies have been playlist staples of mine for a couple years, but I made no prior attempt to fathom how his taped pop gems would translate live before Saturday. Roaring and crooning through some old favorites and new material, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti were an outlandish and totally whacked out load of fun.

The photo set above speaks for itself, and I'm sure most might take notice of the pics highlighting Ariel's oral fixation with the microphone. The set thrusted along like some warped dream involving tripped out wedding singers and a time machine, but always managed to remind you what an innovative songwriter Ariel Pink has always been.

2 out of the 3 Vivan Girls got up and played with Ariel Pink for his encore, and 3/3 of the band performed a pretty satisfying set earlier in the evening. Showing off some new tunes that will be on their next LP, a few of these were more jammed out and cohesive affairs that the girls convincigly rocked with some authority. Curious to see what directions these ladies head in, all hype aside.

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti / Vivian Girls

With a ridiculous amount of adventures to choose this weekend, this show looks to be a good read to success. The lo-fi soul jams of Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti and the megahyped harmonies of Vivian Girls will be permeating the Ottobar Saturday night.

Weathered cassette tape sounds, steezy rhythms, and tons of weird have made Ariel Pink a favorite of mine for some time now. Dude started his career in 2003, when he gave his demo to Animal Collective at a show. AC made him the first artist to sign with their label Paw Tracks.

Ariel Pink's most recent single "Can't Hear My Eyes" (stream below) took a new turn, cleaning up the production quite a bit. The track features smooth vibes eerily similar to the Lite FM radio tracks that bumped from your mom's 1986 Ford Taurus.

New Jersey's Vivian Girls also front the bill, seeming to be all the rage these days. The trio put out a stellar LP that's soaked in tons of reverb, but oddly still makes you want to get all cuddly with it. The Flying Eyes, Deep Sleep, and Head Home round out the bill.

Stream a mix of the headliners below, and look out next week for our photo set.

Henry Darger Won't Be In Bmore Tomorrow

He's dead. But influenced rock band Vivian Girls will be. The Brooklyn trio plays the Ottobar Wednesdey eve, just off the re-release of their debut full length from In the Red today. If you haven't already jumped on the hypewagon, a link to 9 free tracks is below. The show is 10 bucks, and sports support from Tyvek and locals Baby Venom.

MP3s: Click here for link to a free Vivian Girls live recording (via WFMU).