SXSW BYOP (BRING YOUR OWN PICNIC)

March 15th, 2009 , by

In addition to our "Cool for Cats" showcase at SXSW this Wednesday (juicy details and Rafter-made mixtape here ), we’re also throwing a day party from noon to 6pm on Friday with the help of Force Field PR and Okay Mountain. And, if you’re so inclined, bring your own picnic!

Here’s who’s showing up: Shiny Around the Edges, Benjy Ferree, Tune-Yards, Jookabox, Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele, DM Stith, Bosque Brown. What a lineup! You can test the waters by launching an AKradio playlist with choice songs from the above by clicking here (click here to download a zip of all seven songs). Click more to see times and a really cute, hairy-legged promo poster.
More:
12:30 – 1pm Shiny Around the Edges
1:20 – 1:50 Benjy Ferree
2:10 – 2:40 Tune-Yards
3:00 – 3:30 Jookabox
3:50 – 4:20 Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele
4:40 – 5:10 DM Stith
5:30 – 6:00 Bosque Brown

WTDTW FOR MARCH 13-15

March 13th, 2009 , by

Here’s What To Do This Weekend (via our Twitter account)…[Fri]: Rafter in Visalia at Cellar Door, Shapes and Sizes in Portland, ME at Space, Grampall Jookabox in Athens at Rye Bar. [Sat]: Rafter in LA at Regent Theater, Shapes and Sizes in Kittery at Buoy Gallery, Grampall Jookabox in Valdosta at Vito’s Pizzeria. [Sun]: Rafter in Tucson at Plush, Grampall Jookabox in Panama City at Gallery Above.

FOL CHEN BELIEVES IN LISTENING, PARTYING

March 11th, 2009 , by

One of the most important aspects of music is listening. A close second is partying. When you combine the two, you get something like a Listening Party. Just so happens Fol Chen is throwing a grand total of three of these grand inventions in the next week or so. Yes there will be giveaways.
In San Francisco, you can hear Part 1: John Shade, Your Fortune’s Made at the BLOW UP at Rickshaw Stop on March 13th, 10pm (coincidentally the night following Rafter and Viva Voce – leave the place with at least a little party left alright guys?). Tickets here. 
In Ann Arbor, The Blind Pig is hosting Nomo with The Chap. Fol Chen albums will be given away for free that ticket. Tickets here.
Finally, Denver gets some loving from Fol Chen’s popcrowave oven on March 20th at La Rumba at their monthly LIPGLOSS. Details here.

DM STITH NOT AT EMPTY BOTTLE IN CHICAGO TONIGHT

March 8th, 2009 , by

Due to illness, DM Stith will not be at the Empty Bottle in Chicago tonight. I Heart Lung will be there though, so the show is still a go (and well worth going too)! Nate Chinen of the New York Times reviewed a recent IHL show and he seemed to like it. Read the review here.

HOW TO SATISFY YOUR HHC HANKERING IN 3 WAYS OR LESS

March 7th, 2009 , by

If you been hankering for your Half-handed Cloud fix, you have three golden opportunities this spring. The first is a song contribution to the third issue of The Wizard’s Hat Zine.  Half-handed Cloud’s John Ringhofer appears alongside the musical ventures of Jim Stoten (Jim the illustrator) and The Wizard’s Hat’s own Andrew J.Miller. Be sure to keep an eye on their site for more information. The second is in the form of a super limited split 7" vinyl on One Inch Badge Records 7" series.  Volume 2 is a collection of leftfiled-pop including songs by Half-handed Cloud, SJ Esau, Suburban Kids with Biblical Names and Kopek.

And finally, for those of you in the Bay Area, there’s a Half-handed Cloud show at the Hemlock Tavern on March 11 with Little Wings and LAKE. Half-handed Cloud will be performing in band formation with LAKE as the backing band. Click here for more details on show.

WTDTW FOR MARCH 6-8

March 6th, 2009 , by

Here’s What To Do This Weekend (via our Twitter account): [Fri] I Heart Lung in Indianapolis at Harrison Center, Grampall Jookabox in Chicago at Links Hall. [Sat] I Heart Lung and DM Stith and Future Rapper in Bloomington, IN at Cinemat. [Sun] I Heart Lung and DM Stith in Chicago at Empty Bottle, Grampall Jookabox in Chicago at Links Hall.

GRAMPALL JOOKABOX CONQUERS CHICAGO, THEN EUROPE

March 5th, 2009 , by

Grampall Jookabox is hitting the road, and by hitting, we mean pulverizing.  The two-drummer attack (yes, two drummers) will begin stateside and then threaten the cultural stability of Europe, or at least what is left of it. To launch the power-tour, Grampall Jookabox will be performing three nights in Chicago at Links Hall March 6-8. He’ll specifically be playing Treasure Hunt, an underground series of performances curated by Angeline Gragasin.  
Speaking of underground – congratulations to U2 on their latest release. But did anyone notice that Pitchfork reviewed it with a 4.2, and then the album showed up for sale on Amazon for $4? Hate to tell you Bono, but we already tried that. The critics aren’t so fond of it – note results (which include Moose of Grampall in an appropriately timed stimulus dollar-bill costume) here. 
See all of Grampall Jookabox’s tourdates right here , or buy tickets for Treasure Hunt at Links Hall here for $10. If you’d like to help us promote the Chicago shows, feel free to email your friends and email Bono of U2 this digital flyer by clicking here.

I HEART LUNG TOUR INFORMATICIZED VIA TWITTER

March 4th, 2009 , by

All kinds of people are using Twitter for all kinds of reasons, and that’s just fine. What we like around here though is pure, raw data, be it in Twitter or old-fashioned paper form. That’s why we’re glued to Chris Schlarb’s Twitter page, where he is providing extensive financial data for the I Heart Lung tour currently underway. Read all of the gritty details here, and see remaining tourdates here.

And why you’re on the twittertube, check out the label’s account here, My Brightest Diamond’s right here, and DM Stith’s here.

HERMAS ZOPOULA: ESPOIR

March 4th, 2009 , by


Asthmatic Kitty is very pleased to introduce you to Hermas Zoupula and announce that we will be releasing his debut album, Espoir, on May 19th, 2009. Hermas is many things. He is the youngest of 36 children. Born in a small village named Yoro, he is Burkinabe, a citizen and resident of Burkina Faso, West Africa. He is a moped enthusiast, orphanage volunteer, and internet cafe proprietor. Hermas is also a psalmist, and Espoir is his first international recording. Hermas sings in four different languages on the album: French, English, Dioula, and Sissali (Hermas’ mother tongue). The only way to introduce Hermas’ sound was to release Espoir as a two disc set. The first disc, recorded in a government studio in Burkina Faso, presents a refined and practiced Hermas. But the Hermas on the second disc is the one most Burkinabes know, just him and his guitar in his backyard. Comparisons to singer/song-writer Seu Jorge are inevitable, but listeners will find Hermas’ voice sweeter and warmer. Other audible influences in Hermas’ music are Afro-pop pioneer Thomas Mapfumo and Toumani Diabate’s Symmetric Orchestra.

See a video of Hermas in the studio during the recording of balafon parts for Espoir here or by clicking more.

Also, in honor of this release we would like to take time to orientate you to the wonders and beauty of Burkina Faso culture. Click here to launch "FASOCAST – Sounds From Burkina Faso" on AKradio, compiled by Jonathan Dueck, the album’s cover artist. You can read a track-by-track commentary by Dueck on the Sidebar right here.

WTDTW FOR FEBRUARY 27

February 27th, 2009 , by

Here’s What To Do This Weekend (via our Twitter account): Rafter AND! Cryptacize in San Fran at Great Am. Music Hall on Fri; DM Stith in NYC at Cake Ship on Fri; Rafter in Merced at Partisan on Sat; I Heart Lung in Lexington at Cats Den Sat.

A full weekend (and don’t forget BAMKids if you’re in NYC)! Now ignore that recession and go so see some good shows! Click here for details.

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