Show: Dan Deacon, Celebration, Matmos

photo by Eye Bodega

The Dan Deacon Ensemble has fluctuated in size and dynamic since it's original Bromst components several years ago. On Friday, December 16 in Baltimore, a new ensemble will be unveiled. The new five piece will make its debut at the Ottobar on the just announced triple-threat bill that also includes Celebration and Matmos.





Dan writes that this ensemble will include Denny Bowen, Dave Jacober, Chester Gwazda, and Jordan Casey - to which he aptly described as "champions." A completely warranted statement with this new double-synth, double-percussion powerhouse that includes members of Double Dagger, Dope Body, and more. Deacon is currently engulfed in writing the next LP, and this show looks to be a good introduction to what's next.

Toss in the city's finest psych-soul warriors Celebration, and local legends Matmos, and you've got yourself a big one. Tickets go on sale today over at the Ottobar.

Dan Deacon - Meetle Mice & Silly Hat Vs. Eagle Hat

Word from Dan Deacon's press agent came Friday of some reissues in the works, this on the eve of the weekend where Dan attended Comic-Con with Francis Ford Coppola to promote the upcoming film he's scoring called TWIXT which stars Val Kilmer.



Above is "Spring", lifted from Deacon's Silly Hat Vs. Eagle Hat. Originally written while Dan was in college and distributed at shows via CDR, Dan specifies that the composition is something he did as he was just learning how to interact with sound.



"My own face is F word" comes from Meetle Mice, which originated similarly. Dan writes, "These albums are like seeds. They sound, look and feel very different from the fruit that they've grown but they are still of the same tree." Both Meetle Mice and Silly Hat Vs. Eagle Hat are getting the reissue treatment compliments of Carpark Records. On September 13 the label will be releasing both albums together as a double LP. In addition to vinyl, Carpark is also dubbing a limited number of each album to cassette.

Meetle Mice and Silly Hat Vs. Eagle Hat will be available September 13 via Carpark.

Clusterfuck: Scapescape, Dope Body, Autograph Playhouse, Death Set, more

With the recent closure of the Hexagon, and the close call at Sonar, Baltimore should revel in any announcement of a new space for art to inhabit. The Showtime Theatre on 25th street is re-opening as the Autograph Playhouse this weekend.

The same B.R.O.S. that presented us with Grundlehammer are back with two new rock operas scheduled for the next three weekends, titled Amphion and The Terrible Secret of Lunastus. More details are here, and tickets are here.



Dope Body celebrates the release of Nupping Friday night at Floristree with a Baltimore heavy sound dream team that includes Double Dagger, Ed Schrader's Music Beat, and an all-too-rare appearance by Butt Stomach (Dan Deacon and Kevin O'Meara's noise outfit).




The big event this weekend is Scapescape, a festival that goes down all day Sunday at the G Spot and Ruintown. Festival organizer Dave Underhill was originally asked to have his band play the G Spot for what could be a final farewell to the space, but he ended up booking over 20 other bands to play as well. The result is a wide offering of some of Baltimore's best sounds with Dan Deacon, Celebration, Arbouretum, and Microkingdom all headlining the affair. RSVP and get more details right here.


And if all that weren't already enough, Approximate Infinite Daydream begins this Sunday at the Baltimore Museum of Art. This show includes Comeback Ranch, Jared Paolini, and Vlond. The event is free and takes places during regular hours at the museum.


Lastly, the Death Set is back in town for the first time since dropping their new record. They play the Windup Space on Saturday night with Win Win and Future People.

Mixtape: Baltimore: Spring 2011

  art by Caleb Moore

This morning I posted a new seasonal mixtape on Impose, titled Baltimore: Spring 2011.


DOWNLOAD: [SIDE A] Baltimore: Spring 2011
1. Zomes - "Openings"
2. Weekends - "Home Alone (acoustic)"
3. Ken Seeno - "Cedilla in My Monogram"
4. Lands & Peoples - "Sexting"
5. White Life - "Real Things"
6. Eachothers - "Wild Yonder"
7. Microkingdom - "Aire Metal (Chopped and Screwed)"
8. Ponytail - "Honey Touches"
9. Adventure - "Feels Like Heaven"
10. Daytime - "Life / Afterlife (edit)"
11. Ecstatic Sunshine - "Hello Money"


DOWNLOAD: [SIDE B] Baltimore: Spring 2011
1. Celebration - "Only The Wicked (acoustic)"
2. Zu Shapes - "Olivia"
3. Moss of Aura - "Charter"
4. Winks - "Slap Me Choke Me Cum On You"
5. Dope Body - "The Shape of Grunge To Come"
6. Inflatable Mattress - "Green Tea Girlfriend"
7. Thank You - "Pathetic Magic (Dan Deacon remix)"
8. Avocado Happy Hour - "Daytime Television"
9. Gem Vision - "Untitled 1"

Show: Roller Ehse

The good folks of Ehse Records have become known not only for their genre-defying assortment of Baltimore sounds pressed to wax, but for their events such as Ehse on Ice which brought noise acts to Patterson Park's friendly neighborhood ice bubble.

Trade in your ice skates for something more seasonal this Friday at Roller Ehse. Lexie Mountain writes of an event not-to-miss, a night that leave's your rollerskating soundtrack to the professionals. Lexie details the evening's entertainment below:

Ami Dang + Amulets: Amulets is Kate Levitt of Teeth Mountain, Dan Deacon Ensemble. Ami Dang is a Sikh shredder. Sitar, voice, electronics, and drums come together in new weird world tribe vibe. NEVER CUT YOUR HAIR AGAIN!




Editor's note: play all three above at the same time for an approximation of Ami Dang + Amulets

Adventure: Super group with the super sound. Blowin subs from The Smell to the Soft House. Bumpin' and spacin' all the way with Benny Boeldt, Mark Brown and Dave Fell. Music to hold hands to, with the wind in your beard.

Ich Auch: Karl Ekdahl and Logan Terkelsen all-improvised analog synthesizer and aucoustic drums duo, with a sound ranging from up-beat psychedelic electronica to atmospheres of minimal ambience.

DJ TEAM SECOND COMMUNION: Amy Harmon and Lexie Mountain chant down the wheel in the sky for Roller Ehse AKA XANADON'T using the ancient shaking wands available to human life: cassette, LP and dirty hands. Classic non-hits, steamy sweet anthems, gems from forgotten eras. It'll be here and so will you!

Skates and admission is $3 / $5. The event starts at 9:30 PM at Shake and Bake.

Video: Dan Deacon - "Surprise Stefani"

A new Dan Deacon video recently surfaced, a motion-collage short full of scenes that are likely from your favorite National Geographic spread. The morphing and layered affair is for "Surprise Stefani" - a cut from Dan's most recent LP called Bromst.



The video was produced by Newfoundland Tack, with direction by Andrew de Freitas and Mathieu Arsenault. Dan Deacon's Bromst LP is available via Carpark Records.

Video: Dan Deacon and So Percussion

A few weeks ago Dan Deacon and So Percussion collaborated on a performance in NYC for the Ecstatic Music Festival. Baltimore's favorite A/V junky, Guy Werner, took the trip up I-95, and you can check out his highlight reel of the performance below.


This went down Thursday, January 20 at the Merkin Concert Hall, and featured works from both artists including a composition written by Dan Deacon exclusively for the So Percussion ensemble to perform. This composition was called Ghostbuster Cook: Origin of the Riddler, and you can catch the performance in it's entirety below with many thanks to Guy Werner, Lawson Smith, Sam Herring, and all of the musicians involved.

Dan Deacon to Score Francis Ford Coppola Film

In case you missed this on just about every other music media outlet yesterday, Baltimore's Dan Deacon is slated to score Francis Ford Coppola's next feature film.



The movie will be titled Twixt Now and Sunrise, and the press releases reads, "the gothic romance stars Val Kilmer, Bruce Dern, Ben Chaplin & Elle Fanning. In addition to scoring the film, Mr. Coppola and Mr. Deacon are collaborating on a larger level, details of which will be announced soon." Mind blown. Congrats, Dan!

Wham City's Baltimas!!!!!!

For the past few years Wham City has gotten in on the holiday spirit with a compilation called Baltimas!!!!!!. Six exclamation points marks this the sixth year of Baltimas.



In addition to the auto-tuned wonder that is Dan Deacon and Ed Schrader's "Electronica Hanukkah", the duo also contributes a ditty about our modern wold, "Santa's Going Digital". The free compilation features a wide range of sounds contributed from a plethora of artists - 38 spirited tracks up for free download. Get it over at Wham City.

Photos: Dan Deacon, Wolf Eyes, Get Em Mamis, DJ Dog Dick and Sewn Leather @ Rams Head Live

This show was weird from the moment it was announced, as Baltimore's warehouse party icon was set to play the corporate-feel confines of Rams Head Live. That's not meant to be a blow at either, as mad props go out to giving this idea a whirl... and even more props for letting DJ Dog Dick and Sewn Leather take the stage.


These dudes were undoubtedly the highlight of the evening, blasting the zone with a heavy dose of jaded noise-hop sludge that was louder than ever before. A half full venue stood dumbfounded - seemingly unsure of how to react to this undeniably entertaining tandem. Is there a proper way to dance to DJ Dog Dick? The world may never know, but certainly a question that's worth investigating further sometime.


Sound and noise was the theme of the evening, with some hip hop thrown in for good measure. The Rams Head sound system pierced noggins in ways that probably should have made ear plugs mandatory. Wolf Eyes and Dan Deacon took full advantage of this, with the latter displaying a handful of fresh new tracks with some serious promise.


Get the full set of photos by Valerie from this interesting affair after the jump.

Show: Dan Deacon, Get Em Mamis, Wolf Eyes, DJ Dog Dick, Sewn Leather, and DJ Cullen Stalin

In the year's biggest what-the-fuck show booking so far, tomorrow night Rams Head Live will host Dan Deacon, Get Em Mamis, Wolf Eyes, DJ Dog Dick, Sewn Leather, and Cullen Stalin. This one is aimed at local collegiate study-folk, as a college ID will get you in for free. Others pay $10, and everyone gets a shot at a smorgasbord of electronic, noise, hip hop, club, and everything in between.

This will likely be the only chance you'll ever get to hear the melted and heavy noise of Wolf Eyes or the synthetic hip hop sludge of DJ Dog Dick at a venue in Power Plant. I've seen Max Eisenberg AKA Dog Dick perform a few times over the past couple years, and I stumbled upon his three track CDR a few months ago.



"Lap Dog" is the opening song off of Grease That I Got, and is by far the closest thing I've ever heard to a ballad from Eisenberg. Lofty synths and jaded beats give way to a warped R&B heartbreaker, all masked under Dog Dick's hazy vocals. This is followed by Eisenberg's signature abrasive and noisy beats in "New Swing Music", which then turns to the weirdo party anthem that is "Grease That I Got".

The show is tomorrow night, September 29, at Rams Head Live. Doors are at 8 PM.

Photos: Whartscape 2010 Saturday

Saturday's Whartscape festivities were filled mostly with sounds of the rock and roll variety, and were considered by most to be the best part of the weekend fest. Ending the outdoor portion of the day with Dan Deacon and his ensemble, No Age, Arab On Radar, and Lightning Bolt proved nothing short of epic.


In addition to this killer foursome of sets, we saw a pretty astounding batch of songs from Double Dagger. Nolen made his usual threat to the photographers, however this speech stood out when he quoted something Ellie from Sick Weapons once said, "seems like a show doesn't happen in this town unless there's a photographer there".


Saturday also featured a great set from our favorite Detroit band, Child Bite - whose new LP is pretty fantastic. Ponytail's set was also worth noting, especially with rumors swirling regarding the band's current status. The day also opened up with some Ponytail, as Dustin Wong joined the Rapdragons for their song that samples his guitar part.

Get Valerie's full photo set from Saturday after the jump.

Child Bite


Lord Scrummage


Thank You


Double Dagger


Ponytail


Dan Deacon


No Age


Arab On Radar


Lightning Bolt



Photos by Valerie

Clusterf*ck: Beach House @ 2640 Space, Weekends / Lemonade / Sisters @ The Pet Cemetary

We're going to keep it short and sweet for this week's edition. This weekend, the biggest dream pop duo in in the world right now finally comes home, and plays at the church. Saturday night Beach House play at the 2640 Space with Washed Out, and yes this one is very much sold out. Look out for our photo coverage next week.

Tonight, the Pet Cemetary has a monster of a party with Lemonade, Sisters, Weekends, and more to help celebrate the release of the new issue of Mapped zine. Friends Records will have copies of the new Weekends album, Strange Cultures, on limited-run cassette tapes. Come say hi, and this is your first chance to hear the Rob Girardi-produced Strange Cultures. There will only be about 20 or so copies of this available tomorrow.

Also, definitely don't sleep on the endless amount of awesome the Maryland Film Festival has to offer this weekend. I highly recommend going to check out the world premiere of 0s and 1s on Saturday, whose director I interviewed yesterday. You also certainly couldn't go wrong with a Dan Deacon-endorsed screening of Total Recall, or Bill Callahan presenting Faces.

Clusterf*ck: Tuesday Night Edition deacon at bernie's, cex, harlem, and more...

As once noted in a post with The G, we don't endorse the drugs. However, we totally support musical happenings in Baltimore. And for whatever reason, the 20th day in April seems to spark up a handful of worthwhile events around town.

Harlem's new album is called Hippies, and shit, I can't think of a band with a new album title that is a better ode to this so-called holiday. Yes, hippies are the product of a never-ending 4/20, but you won't find any Grateful Dead covers on this new LP via Matador. You will however find sixteen garage pop tracks that are light-hearted, full of fuzz, and catchy as all hell.

Harlem were fantastic last time they came around these parts, and I'd expect no less tonight at the Golden West when they play with Eternal Summers and Junkers.

Over at the Red Room you'll find a rather intriguing set of performances tonight. Dan Deacon will team up with Teeth Moutain member Andrew Bernstein to form what is to be called Deacon at Bernie's. The duo will be performing along with three short films by Lillian Schwartz and Stan Van Der Beek, which were curated by Mary Helena Clark.

If this wasn't enough to keep your head held high, world-renown cellist Charles Curtis will also be in town and performing in the Red Room. This one will run ya six dollars and starts at 8.

If you're not burnt out, one of Baltimore's biggest weekday dance parties is back in full 420 action tonight at the Hippo. Deep In The Game sports residents CEX and Schwarz, and tonight will feature guest DJ Cullen Stalin. This one's free before 11, but $5 after.

Streaming below is a recent mix by CEX dubbed "Archbroseph of Berlintimore Tbass Mix Series #9", which totally lives up to being described as a "relentless mix of skanky heavy bass Grime ruffness."

Photos: Dan Deacon, Sick Weapons, and Nuclear Power Pants at the Ottobar

Friday night's show at the Ottobar was a make-up date for a show that was supposed to happen late last year, and props to all involved for delivering on their promise. This was a super great lineup, and had all the makings for an enjoyable Friday evening.

Sick Weapons continue to be, well... sick. They get tighter and tighter with each and every performance, as Ellie gets more fun to watch along the way too. Expect a big 2010 from these folks, and hopefully their first proper release. Nuclear Power Pants' sounds of funky synths and acid-drenched pop sludgery were bigger than ever Friday night. Their stage show was as lively and entertaining as I've seen, so be sure to check them out as they head out on a national tour with Height with Friends in late March.

The last time we covered Dan Deacon playing solo in Baltimore the vibes were not great due to a push-happy younger audience. This was not the case Friday, as Dan set up on the stage but allowed anyone to join him up there. It was good to see him back in action and doing the things that got him to where he's at today, and it was equally as good to see a crowd that showed support and respect. I've heard some rumblings of future things to come from Deacon, and I look forward to keeping folks informed on said things.

Get Chrissy's full photo set of the evening after the click.

Sick Weapons




Nuclear Power Pants






Dan Deacon









Photos by Chrissy

Video: Dan Deacon - "Woof Woof"

Dan Deacon just premiered the video for "Woof Woof", a production that comes compliments of Showbeast. The 11 minute video features puppets, Dan Deacon as "Dead Bird" but wearing a tiger suit, and other awesome local musicians.

Showbeast is also responsible for the video of Beach House's "Norway" which you'll find on the DVD that will accompany Teen Dream. That DVD also features an alternate version called "Snorway", which is the video with the actual dialogue as opposed to "Norway" as the soundtrack. Both "Woof Woof" and "Norway" entail the same great puppets.

Watch "Woof Woof" in all its 11 minute glory after the jump.


[via]

Wham City - Baltimas!!!!!!

Wham City has provided us with a Baltimas holiday mix for the past several years, relinquishing their take on seasonally festive music and entertainment.

This year's is no different, and features a plethora of cuts from local contributors including Ed Schrader, Dan Deacon, Benny Boeldt, Devlin Rice, Steve Strohmeier, Dina Kelberman, Ryan Wirth, Connor Kizer, Meredith Moore, Adam Endres, Jimmy Joe Roche, and more.

The 2009 mix is called Baltimas!!!!!!, and you can stream/download it below.

Favorite Baltimore Shows of 2009

We went to a lot of shows in 2009, covering as much live music as humanly possible. I decided to list 10 sets that stand out in my mind, only qualifier being that it had to have been covered on bmoremusic.net.

This left out a few sets that would have surely made it, but I still think this is a solid representation of how much fun I had in Baltimore this year. I didn't rank these, because well... who cares. They were all fantastic, and here's to many more.

Extra Golden at Floristree

Floristree was nice and sticky that night, as this collaboration of musicians from both DC and Kenya took it by storm. I believe the singer's feet in this photo never actually touched the ground throughout the entire set, tons of energy.

Animal Collective at the Ottobar

Animal Collective were once just a couple dudes that went to The Park School of Baltimore. In 2009 Merriweather Post Pavilion jump-started their voyage of world domination, and this was their first night of a massive tour. This was easily one of the biggest shows at the Ottobar this year.

Sick Weapons at Hampdenfest

While this may not have even been Sick Weapon's best set I saw this year, this set was priceless. Seeing toddlers dance around to Sick Weapons was pretty much the coolest thing I saw all year, and Ellie honking the horn instead of cursing appeared to be an epic test of will on her part.

No Deachunter at Sonar

When Dan Deacon, Deerhunter, and No Age all started playing a unified song at once from different ends of the room at Sonar to start this show, it pretty much sealed the deal of making it to this post. This Round Robin style show was a whole mess of fun.

Celebration at Load of Fun

This was the "Earth" show for their element series, a string of shows here in Baltimore that took place throughout the year and included some great ones. You can still download the full set audio right here.

The Jesus Lizard at Sonar

A kick ass performance by a legendary band, enough said.

Sri Aurobindo at the Metro Gallery

This was the album release party for Return into Earth, an epic 30 minute journey of a track. This set captured what that release was all about, and was easily one of the best improvs I witnessed all year.

Ponytail at the Ottobar

Another mind blowing set from Baltimore's favorite pixie dust-infused rock band. New material was played, and showed sure signs of the next album being just as good as Ice Cream Spiritual.

Future Islands at Floristree

This was quite possibly my favorite Future Islands set ever. The energy was fierce, the sound was booming, and the trio was tighter than ever. Look for gigantic things to come from these guys in 2010.

Dan Deacon w/Ensemble at Whartscape

This set managed to embody all that is right with music here in Baltimore, and package it in a one hour chunk of music and fun. This was one of the many highlights of Whartscape 2009, a festival that truly represents how it feels to be a part of community like Baltimore. Every single person in that North Avenue parking lot that night left the show smiling, and with good reason.