On November 1st, we introduced you to Christine Hoberg – the energetic songstress who serenaded a boat load of people on the East River Ferry, qualifying her as New York’s finalist for Pop Up Live presented by SPIN Magazine and popchips. Well, now it’s time to get to know Christine a little better…
We got to chat with the Midwest-gone-Brooklyn broad about her upcoming EP release, “junky instruments” and where you can find her slinging the best Bloody Marys in the ‘hood. So check out the interview below and be sure to cast your votes before Monday, Nov. 14th to get Christine to the SPIN Stage in Austin, TX! And find out how to win tickets to Miss Hoberg’s Record Release show for her newest EP, Moonlight Never Shined So Bright, TOMORROW night at 10pm at Rockwood Music Hall after the jump…
How would you describe your sound to, let’s say, somebody’s grandma?
I describe my music as indie rock meets indie jazz, which maybe doesn’t make sense to a grandma. I think the stuff I have out now is mainly rock meets throwback motown or jazz. I love those old chanteuse-y and sassy songstress types and have embodied that into a lot of my songs, but I also write and love really messed up noise music and love creating new sounds–I’m in love with artists like fever ray and radiohead–and more and more of that kind of stuff is coming out in my songs, especially my new album I’m releasing this Friday! Lots of layered vocal chanty stuff, can’t wait to put it out! (more…)
We’ve always been fans of the poetic realism Noah and the Whale serve up — from heartache to hope. And as other bands from their homeland (see: Mumford & Sons) climb the ranks of the folk-rock scene, Noah has been steadily maturing from their 2006 debut to this year’s release of Last Night On Earth back in March. But, it seems, that frontman Charlie Fink is still coming of age.
“I don’t think that coming of age thing has been in anything I’ve done before,” Fink says. “But from the beginning I wanted to write a record that had that excitement of being young and being in the night. I think it’s that naivity — that feeling that things are happening everywhere except where you are, wondering what’s out there in the wide world. It’s when you’re on a bus, you don’t know where you’re heading, you don’t know what’s at the end of it, and you have this fantasy that whatever’s at the end of it is going to be remarkable and magnificent.”
And with that kind of wafting longing, it’s no wonder the band lists Noah Baumbach and Charles Bukowski, along with their perfect “loser’s pride,” among their influencers. Catch Noah and the Whale at Irving Plaza this Saturday (6/16) or just comment below to win a pair of tickets to the show!
Named after the Santa Monica street where they grew up, Los Angeles boys Princeton are currently on tour supporting CSS and Sleigh Bells with their retro-inspired shoegaze. Founding members, and identical twin brothers, Matt and Jesse Kivel (the latter of Kisses fame) brought their newest musical effort to fruition while separated by what we’ve all come to call “the pond” — one brother soaking in the practically eternal sun and rollerskate happy rhythmic bounce of LA, while the other contemplated minimalistic compositions in a far-less sunny London.
They’ll be playing Glasslands with High Highs, NewVillager, and local darling Ivana XL tomorrow night and we’ve got a pair of tickets to give to one lucky reader.
Comment below for your chance to win and grab the newest single, “To The Alps,” from the new album here. And be sure to check out the sunshine smile inducing video after the jump!
Tonight will be host to the final night of Zambri’s April residency at Pianos and we expect you all there to party with us!
Check out the FREEwilly curated lineup below and start dreaming about those frozen margaritas because there’s no better way to celebrate this muggy weather than with a frozen cocktail and the musical styling of some hot ladies!
8 PM Rarechild
9 PM Beige
10 PM Zambri
11 PM millionyoung
Bear in Heaven DJ set
And if you’re feeling extra lucky, comment below for your chance to win a pair of tickets to tonight’s show… or, just buy the $8 tix here. And grab a free download of Zambri’s EP, On Call — artwork seen left, right over here.
On August 1st, Domino Records released the newest 10″ from UK’s Wild Beasts and we haven’t been able to stop humming “We Still Got The Taste Dancin’ On Our Tongues” since. The band’s untamed lyrical progression matched with foot tapping melodies makes for perfect put your makeup on music– the kind of tracks you’ll want to listen to while you get ready to go their show at Highline Ballroom tomorrow night.
Of course, we’ve got a pair of tickets for one lucky reader.
Check out the video for the single and find out how to get your hands on those tickets after the jump…
Dudes, if you’re not listening to Twin Shadow, I don’t even know how to explain how disappointed I am with you. The moniker of Bushwick’s well-dressed George Lewis Jr., Twin Shadow’s debut album has been literally spinning on repeat on every possible audio device in my apartment. Forget is a seamless blend of smooth lust infused vocals, synth lullabies, and whispering drum beats, not to mention “I Can’t Wait” induces heartfelt Molly Ringwald dances like woah.
Unfortunately for you, Terrible Records isn’t releasing this lovely gem until September 28th– giving you plenty of time to long for June once again. Seriously though, I can’t stop listening to these new wave jazz sounds that make me want to “secret handshake” in white linens. Mr. Lewis, I hope this stuff is getting you laid.
So if you’re looking to dance and make sexy time, check out Twin Shadow with our faves Hooray for Earth at Coco66 this Friday… or just win a pair of tickets for you and a friend by commenting below (and using your real email) about how you may or may not ooze sex just like this man’s chest hair.
As the follow up to Glory Hope Mountian, a concept album focusing on the life of frontman Rolf Klausener’s mother, The Acorn‘s No Ghost equally echoes the intimate boom of folk and frenzy of romantic classic Southern rock roots. In this case, though, it’s the far North that has inspired this mix of acoustic and electric sounds that are able to hold up to a wide array of celebration– candlelit dinners, frolicking through the backwoods of the Québécois cottage the album was recorded in, or speeding below ground in large tin cans marked by numbers and letters.
With three upcoming shows in the NYC area, it would be ill-advised to miss these boys. Heck, I say make the trip to Hoboken if you have to. But since we have a soft spot for Takka Takka, we’re giving away a pair of tickets to The Acorn’s final night in town before they head back to dear ‘ole Canada.
The first installment of the Guggenheim’s Dark Sounds, a three-part series of live music performances accompanying the exhibition Haunted: Contemporary Photography/Video/Performance, kicks off on July 15th with Beirut, freshly off a two night stint at Music Hall of Williamsburg (with openers, and personal faves, WOOM).
…the series takes its thematic cue from the conceptual threads that weave through Haunted, aiming to evoke the exhibition’s elements of melancholy, ghostliness, the uncanny, and our collective and individual obsession with accessing the past. The series title is borrowed from the writings of Montague Rhodes James (1862–1936), who is often described as the father of the modern ghost story.
Of course, the show is SOLD OUT but we have a pair of tickets for one lucky reader. Just head on over to our Facebook page and tell us why you deserve them. Next up for Dark Sounds is Andrew Bird and Ian Schneller, which sounds equally as amazing and isn’t sold out… yet.
I don’t think I need to do much convincing for you to head over to our Twitter page and enter in this contest. Just watch the dreamy video for “You Saved My Life” to remind yourself how much you love Cass McCombs. And once you you do that, tweet this (it’s as easy as copy & paste):
I love @freedubya but I’d love them more if they gave me Cass McCombs & Lightspeed Champion tickets!
This is one of the few shows Lightspeed Champion will play with a full band this year, so it should be a real treat. Check out the video for “Marlene” after the jump.
The Kahbang Music and Arts Festival launched last summer in Bangor, Maine with Matt & Kim and Ra Ra Riot headlining — but it’s still relatively unheard-of. This year Kahbang will be running from August 6-14, and the list of performers includes Ok Go, Biz Markie, The Gay Blades, BoB, Free Energy and more. There will be plenty of art installations and a film festival portion as well.
Kahbang’s concept is to translate some of the live music energy from Brooklyn way up north. And in that spirit, we’re offering two pairs of VIP passes to FreeWilliamsburg readers. Just leave us a comment on our Facebook page, and we’ll randomly select two winners who will each get a pair of VIP passes to the festival. Summer road trip, anyone? And speaking of road trips, Kahbang’s planners are still looking to book more bands and artists, so if you are interested in participating, go ahead and contact them here.
VIP ULTIMATE FESTIVAL PASS
Pass Includes:
Entry to festival grounds (2-Day Music pass)
Entry to any film screening (Film Pass)
Access to all special events (Q/A sessions, Panels, etc.)
