May 18, 2011

Thanks to iTunes and its major #FAIL yesterday, today I’m #nowplaying Bon Iver’s (@boniver) new, self-titled album. You may be thinking, “Bon Iver’s new album doesn’t come out until June 21, what’s up with iTunes?” What’s up with iTunes is that the album, instead of being put up only for pre-order, instead went live on the online store and was quickly downloaded. It spread like wildfire on file sharing sites and a quick search on Twitter for “Bon Iver” indicates the album is #nowplaying on many an iPod. For those who are more ninja than pirate, the single Calgary is available for download at the Bon Iver website.

That’s what I’m #nowplaying today, READ ON to look at what our contributors @Hidden_Track have been listening to lately…

In one of our favorite pairings of the summer, the latest Return To Forever lineup – billed as Return To Forever IV – featuring keyboardist Chick Corea, drummer Lenny White,

It’s quite rare for the jamband scene to witness a sea change. Great bands continuously come and go through the proverbial revolving doors, many of which manage push the preexisting boundaries ever further with impressive technical proficiencies, but true game changers are few and far between. Historically, the big shifts have come more from breakups or untimely passings, rather than necessarily pioneering musical innovations. Very seldom does a band or group of bands actually reinvent the sound.

The New Deal are one of those few bands that actually helped redefine the genre. Beginning in the late nineties, along with some well-known contemporaries, the band helped create a new sub-genre, live electronic music. By combining elements of techno music and live improvisation, they concocted a fresh new sound by playing electronic music in an entirely loop-free context with traditional instruments.

Fast forward almost 15 years – despite live electronic music’s position as one of the few fast growing segments of the scene – The New Deal has decided to call it quits, passing the torch to thriving  young bands like Lotus and Papadosio. To reflect back on their days as a band, the emergence of this style of music, and the decision to go out on top, we caught up with New Deal founding member, Darren Shearer.

Hidden Track: Looking back to the emergence of the live electronic music scene, I think of really you guys and the Disco Biscuits in the late ’90s who started it all. It must have been really exciting to break ground on such and energetic new form of music when you were starting out. Do you remember thinking you were really on to something in the early days?

Darren Shearer: Absolutely. I recall going into clubs and bars when we were getting going and people just could not believe what they were hearing. And putting a band with a DJ was totally unheard of. Now, it’s the majority of billing in our scene. But those were amazing, adventurous days for us back then, both musically and career-wise. No one knew where to put us. One weekend we’re opening for Moby, the next Herbie Hancock, the next Fun Lovin’ Criminals, remember them?

READ ON for more of our chat with drummer Darren Shearer…

After a long day, when the hustle and bustle of New York City seems to be just a little too much to take, I often find myself escaping and reveling in the beauty that the city, and its numerous attractions, have to offer. Such landmarks include NYC’s music venues, from the legendary Blue Note Jazz Club to Radio City Music Hall to the Mecca itself, Madison Square Garden. Which led me to think that focusing on the history and roots of one such venue, the fabulous Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side, would make for a great Postcards From Page Side column. So join me for a walk through its hallowed halls and allow me to share some of my favorites concerts that have occurred there over the years.

[Via The Monitor]

Originally the “brainchild” of Samuel “Roxy” Rothafel and designed by Walter Ahlschlager, “The Beacon,” as it’s affectionately referred to, opened on Christmas Eve in 1929 and was originally a venue for vaudeville shows, movies, drama and opera productions. Starting in the 1970’s when a pair of Stephen’s – Metz and Singer – bought The Beacon, music concerts as we are used to them today, took over as one of, if not the main focus of the property. One such act, The Allman Bros. Band, which hosts an annual March residency, has performed over 200 shows there since 1989 – some of which made my list of personal, favorite shows.

In 2009, the venue underwent a $10 million renovation to restore some of its former grandeur. Besides the magnificent architecture that gives the Beacon a leg up on most of the other venues in New York (except maybe it’s “younger sister” Radio City Music Hall), the theater also boats one of the best sounds systems around. With no bad seat in the house, whether you be on the floor, the loge, or the lower or upper balcony, there is a pristine auditory pleasure, along with the allusion that you are almost on to of the band. In other words, it’s cozy, especially from the balconies, as you almost feel as you are looking down on the band from certain vantage points.

READ ON for more on NYC’s Beacon Theatre…