Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti > Plano B > Live Recording

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

Plano B, Porto, Portugal

Recording Equipment: CA Cardioids > STC 9100 > Tascam DR-07

There hasn't been many gigs here in Porto lately -- the side effects of the Primavera Sounds in Barcelona are over and summer festivals are approaching... -- so I was highly anticipating Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti return to Portugal for a while. Like many other artists, I first heard of Ariel Pink some years ago from the writings of Mr Simon Reynolds, who recently chose The Doldrums (2004) as his favorite album of the 2000s. Despite his cult status, Ariel Pink is experiencing more recognition with his latest album, Before Today, than ever before. Luckily -- you never know what to expect in this venue, in general, and with Ariel Pink, in particular -- everything went right yesterday night. The sound was decent, the crowd was reacting and Ariel Pink and his band were in an excellent mood. They played for almost one and half hour (including two encores), but i could totally stay there all night listening to their weird, chilled, decadent pop songs. The recording is pretty cool too.

Setlist:

1. Menopause Man | 2. Poultry Heads | 3. One On One | 4. Bright Lit Blue Skies | 5. Flying Circles | 6. Revolution's a Lie | 7. Suicide Notice | 8. Strange Fires | 9. Among Dreams | 10. Fright Night (Nevermore) | 11. Don't Think Twice | 12. Round and Round | 13. Hardcore Pops Are Fun | 14. Gettin' High In The Morning | (Encore 1) | 15. Jules Lost His Jewels | 16. For Kate I Wait | (Encore 2) | 17. Every Night I Die At Miyagis | 18. L'estat (acc. to the widow's maid)

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Bright Lit Blue Skies by ashtapes

Download: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti at Plano B

Fresh Blood > MinionTV

Name: MinionTV

Origin: Liverpool, UK

Genre: Instrumental, Post-Rock

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/miniontv

::MP3::

☩"Yardsticks"

by MinionTV (self-released, 2010)

[free download from the band's bandcamp]

[Exclusive Q&A with Stephen Johnston from the band after the jump]

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VideoTape #17

The Soft Moon, "Parallels"

Single (Captured Tracks, 2010)

[Video by Hans Richter, "Rhythm 23"]

Fresh Blood > The Wiggins

Name: The Wiggins

Origin: Houston, Texas, US

Genre: Garage-rock, Pop

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thewigginsrox

::MP3::

☯"When I Get Up"

from The Greatest Apes EP (Girlgang Records & Tapes, 2005)

☯"Dog"

from Feed The Ghost 7" (Dull Knife, 2008)

☯"Sick(no drums)"

from The Wiggins 7" (Needless Recs, 2009)

[A lovely Q&A with Jon Read aka The Wiggins after the jump]

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M*ASHtape #10

Post-punk | dark-wave | new-wave.

Download

salt swimmer_little girls | 90 plus days_blessure grave | rhizomes_effi briest | blood in the well_nice face | karen hateth the forest_hype williams | failures selected by god_meth teeth | all night diner_pukers | sand_silk flowers | you're with a thing_eat skull | throw it away_pink reason | a is for asshole_teeth | racing backwards_blank dogs

Fresh Blood > Ouija

Name: Ouija

Origin: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US

Genre: Lo-fi, Surf

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/lvlvlvlvlvlvlvlvlvl

::MP3::

∇ Room Tapes

(unreleased recordings, 2009)

∇ "Negative Moods"

(unreleased, 2010)

[Exclusive Q&A with the one-man-band behind Ouija after the jump]

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VideoTape #16

Broken Deer, "White Woman"

Polaraura (Gandhara Recordings, out on June 21)

Director: Alice Cohen

Fresh Blood > Girls of the Gravitron

Name: Girls Of The Gravitron

Origin: Memphis, Tennessee, US

Genre: Lo-fi, Garage-rock
Myspace: myspace.com/girlsofthegravitron

::MP3::

☛"King Kong"
from The Last Real Houseparty 7"
☛"Rainbo"
for a Speed Tapes compilation
☛"Malthusian Love Song" | "When I'm Dead" | "Violent Appetites"
from Malthusian Love Song 7" (Boom Chick Records, 2008)
☛"Glowing In The Dark" | "Principles Of Kimberly" | "Weird World"
from Magnetic Mountain LP (Miss Lonelyhearts Records, 2010)

[Our Q&A with the band after the jump]

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VideoTape #15

Pigeons, "Fade Away"

Si Faustine (OESB, 2010)

Director: Natalie Rodgers

M*ASHtape #9

Download

east german western_dinowalrus | mirror friends_lucky dragons | 3 stnd_truman peyote | the channon_high places | chicago(intro)_hooray! | voices voices/out from under_voicesvoices | mind haze is clear delight_white rainbow | autumn looming_anduin | happy birthday_inca ore | eggs in carrion_gobble gobble | pulse in_empire arches | me & my hand_broken social scene

VideoTape #14

RxRy, "UUAII"

VAEIOUWLS (Self-released, out soon, 2010)

Director: Rx Ry

VideoTape #13

Healthy Animal, "Fog"
Empty (Lazy Roar Records, 2010)
Director: Lazy Roar Records

Fresh Blood > The Band In Heaven

This is a new section of Ashtapes dedicated to new and emerging bands that we like and want to share with the world. Posts will include info, downloads and a short q&a with the artists.

Name: The Band In Heaven
Origin: West Palm Beach, Orlando, Florida, US
Genre: Shoegaze, Dream Pop
Myspace: myspace.com/thebandinheaven

::MP3::

✈ Demos

by The Band In Heaven (self-released, 2010)
[free download from the band's bandcamp]

[Read an exclusive Q&A with the band after the jump]

CONTINUE READING »

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & The Cairo Gang > Teatro Aveirense > Live Recording

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & The Cairo Gang + Susanna

Teatro Aveirense, Aveiro, Portugal

Recording Equipment: CA Cardioids > STC 9100 > Tascam DR-07

06.06.2010

You never know what to expect from Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Will Oldham's complex and fascinating pseudonym. Yesterday night, in Aveiro, he was in a good mood, he was wearing an incredibly tacky outfit and, most noticeably, he was shaved -- he still had a nice mustache, but that's nothing compared to his previous ambitious beard. He was also accompanied by Emmet Kelly of The Cairo Gang on the acoustic guitar, Susanna of Susanna and The Magical Orchestra on the vocals and special guest Shahzad Ismaily of Secret Chiefs 3 on the electric guitar. For one and a half hour they took us to the heart of the old America through beautiful alt.Country landscapes and stories about freedom, love and sex.

The setlist was mainly focused on the tracks from the Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & The Cairo Gang collaboration album, The Wonder Show Of The World, released earlier this year. To avoid running out of songs, they also turned to the traditional american folk songbook ("Love Is Teasing", "In Spite of Ourselves", "Shine It On Me", "It's Been Rough And Rocky Travellin'") and Susanna's material ("Better Days", "Home Recording"). For the 5-song encore, Bonnie broke the protocol and played a classic from his own solo discography -- nothing less than a completely acoustic version of the much-requested "I See A Darkness". You can watch a video of this memorable moment here and, of course, download the complete live recording below.

Setlist:

1. Troublesome Houses | 2. Where The Wind Blows | 3. Love Is Teasing | 4. With Cornstalks and Among Them | 5. Teach Me To Bear You | 6. The Sounds Are Always Begging | 7. Home Recording | 8. Better Days | 9. Someone Coming Through | 10. Go Folks, Go | 11. That's What Our Love Is | 12. Say Goodbye | 13. In Spite Of Ourselves | (Encore) | 14. Shine It On | 15. Midday | 16. Kids | 17. I See A Darkness | 18. It's Been Rough and Rocky Travellin'

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & The Cairo Gang - Go Folks, Go Live in Aveiro by ashtapes

Download: Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & The Cairo Gang at Teatro Aveirense | MP3 | 160 MB

HEALTH + PAUS > Casa da Música > Photos

Unfortunately we were not able to record this one, but charlie took some nice pics to prove that we were there. We've both seen HEALTH before and we both agree that HEALTH are grown up and their live performance was immensely improved. They took a huge step forward, adding some electronic layers and danceable elements to their violent, almost apocalyptic noise sound, as if they're now enjoying the side effects of a colorful, hallucinogenic acid trip.
Equally impressive were PAUS, a recently formed portuguese band who warmed up the stage with a fusion of wild drums and post-rock influences. We'll keep them under the radar.

[Check more pics after the jump]

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