Blog Archives

Sloan: June 29, 2011 Bowery Ballroom – FLAC/MP3/Streaming

July 5, 2011
By

sloan2011-06-29-edit1
[Photo by acidjack]

I first heard Sloan (probably like a lot of people) on one of those old DGC records CD compilations that the label would put out with one Nirvana song and one Sonic Youth song as a way to get fans to check out their lesser-known acts. Probably the most memorable band on the comp not named Nirvana or Sonic Youth was Sloan, whose debut single “Underwhelmed” from their album Smeared was alternarock perfection. All of the elements of today’s band are there – the sturdy riffs, the sweet vocal harmonies that ooze unadulterated fun, all of it catchy as hell. It makes me feel old as hell to think that this Halifax, Nova Scotia band is now celebrating their twentieth year together with this tour and the release of their latest record, The Double Cross (XX, get it?).

They’ve got a lot to show for those twenty years, too – a discography full of solid records (including the new one), numerous awards and nominations, and perhaps most tellingly, the camaraderie of sharing their entire musical career with this exact same lineup. It’s difficult to make any endeavor last as long as this one has; for a rock band, it’s almost unheard of.

Taking stock of the scene at Bowery Ballroom on Wednesday night, the fact that this band has held together became a bit less of a mystery. The band have what I like to think (positively) of as a very Canadian quality – they come off onstage as agreeable, pleasant people to be around, almost completely devoid of ‘attitude’ or posturing. So agreeable, in fact, that they play their instruments democratically, giving different members a turn at different instruments, sharing songwriting as well as vocal duties. They’re the kind of band that give you the proud sensation of watching your best friend’s band make it big – you feel good for them, and you feel their goodwill for you. It goes almost without saying that the band went above and beyond with their show, delivering a set that blended new songs from The Double Cross with classics from both decades, including what was a highlight for me (having never seen it live), “Gimme That,” the straight-ahead pop anthem from 2003’s Action Pact. This Wednesday night crowd was as laid back and cool as the band itself, paying attention, partying, and singing along, letting the artists in the room take center stage.

The set went out with a great four-song package of classics, with “People of the Sky” from 1994’s Twice Removed, “The Lines You Amend” and “G Turns to D” from 1996’s One Chord to Another, and an absolutely killer closer of “Money City Maniacs” from 1998’s Navy Blues. I have to admit, I would’ve loved the nostalgia trip of hearing “Underwhelmed” as interpreted twenty years later, if for no other reason to remind how much I owed that song, and that old DGC compilation, for such a great night.

I recorded this set from my usual location in the venue with the DPA microphones and an analog preamp to give it a warm, natural sound. Combined with the Bowery’s upgraded soundboard, the results are absolutely outstanding and one of my best pure audience recordings in that venue. Enjoy!

Stream the complete set:

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Direct download of lossless FLAC files [HERE]
PLEASE DO NOT REPOST THE DIRECT LINKS

Follow acidjack on Twitter

Sloan
2011-06-29
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY USA

Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: DPA 4021>Oade M248>Sony PCM-M10 (24/44.1)
Position: Balcony, LOC, mics at height of engineers
Mastering: 24bit/44.1kHz WAV>Audacity (set fades, tracking, amplify and balance, downsample)>FLAC Level 8

Tracks [Total Time 1:31:52]
01 Follow the Leader>The Answer Was You
02 Unkind
03 The Marquee and the Moon
04 Snowsuit Sound
05 Worried Now
06 Shadow of Love
07 Everything You’ve Done Wrong>
08 Who Taught You To Live Like That?
09 Gimme That
10 [banter]
11 She’s Slowing Down Again
12 Something’s Wrong>
13 Traces
14 Sinking Ships
15 It’s Plain to See
16 Your Daddy Will Do
17 Don’t You Believe A Word
18 I’ve Gotta Know
19 The Other Man
20 Beverley Terrace
21 Losing California
22 [encore break]
23 People of the Sky
24 The Lines You Amend
25 G Turns to D
26 Money City Maniacs

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Sloan, visit their website, and purchase Sloan’s official releases, which are all available via digital download at the website in mp3, apple lossless and FLAC [HERE].

U Say USA: June 19, 2011 NYCTaper Northside Showcase @ Public Assembly – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

July 4, 2011
By

usayusa2011-06-19
[Video still by Cannons]

I invited Bushwick’s U Say USA to play our first annual NYCTaper Northside Showcase without having actually seen their live show, but on the strength of some very positive word of mouth. Though the term “Bushwick band” might conjure the thought of an experimental keyboard project, U Say USA use their neighborhood (prominently featured on the cover of their record, The Greatest Recession (I’ve Ever Been To)) as the jumping off point for their songwriting, which deals with populist themes appropriate to the current moment, with a sense of humor to boot. As to their sound, the band combines some of punk’s jagged edges with a strong classic rock vibe. Particularly of note (and uncommon to an indie rock show) is lead guitarist Ian Gilliam’s guitar work – the man can seriously solo. The band have been upping their gig count of late, including a recently-completed residence at Williamsburg’s Trash Bar, and we expect to see more of them in the neighborhood.

I recorded this set in the same manner as the other sets from this show. This recording emphasizes the board feed a bit more heavily, but overall is quite good. Also, apologies for the minor tracking error on tracks 2 and 3. Enjoy!

Stream “If U Feel Like Ur Dreamin”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/U9610USayUSA2011/IfUrDreamin.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Follow acidjack on Twitter

U Say USA
2011-06-19
NYCTaper Northside Showcase
Public Assembly
Brooklyn, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: AKG C414 B-XLS (cardiod)>Sound Devices USBpre2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: Each mic clamped to pole, split 5ft
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, set fades, tracking, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

01 Cutting Down Forests
02 Rome>
03 Rome (cont)>Holding Barrels
04 Amy & the Ghost
05 Under the Weather
06 Where’d It All Go?
07 C.E.O.
08 If U Feel Like Ur Dreamin’
09 Diesel

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT U Say USA, like them on Facebook, and purchase The Greatest Recession (I’ve Ever Been To) on their bandcamp page.

Givers: June 18, 2011 Backyard Brunch Sessions – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

July 1, 2011
By

givers2011-06-18-1
[photo by acidjack]

Before heading over to McCarren Park a few Saturdays ago to catch Guided By Voices and others on the Northside Festival main stage, I had the privilege of catching the inaugural show of the 2011 Backyard Brunch Sessions, starring Lafayette, LA’s Givers.  With their good attitudes and laid back vibe, I liked this band before hearing a note of their music. Having recently signed to Glassnote Records for the release of their debut album, In Light, the band are enjoying a big push in the press lately, having been nominated as “buzzworthy” by MTV, a “band to watch” by Stereogum, and written about favorably by NPR.  It’s not hard to see why; not only is this five-piece eminently likable, but their music has that “something extra.”  In this case, that something is a touch of Afrobeat that gives their music a bouncy, percussive feel.  Male lead vocalist/guitarist Taylor Gaurisco’s sweet voice is nicely paired with female lead/percussionist Tiffany Lamson’s more smoky, soulful vocal approach.  For this backyard show, the band did not have their full arsenal of instruments, which pushed the emphasis to their songwriting.  I am pleased to report that the songwriting held up to the stripped-down scrutiny, particularly their much-talked-about leadoff single “Up Up Up.”  Though this set was short, it told us all we needed to know about the talent level of this young and exciting band.

hi and lo and I recorded this set with a variety of high end microphones (pictured) miking individual band members.  The results are outstanding, possibly the best Backyard Brunch recording we have offered to date!

Stream “Up Up Up”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/G1806Givers1102/03 Up Up Up.mp3]

This recording is now available for download in FLAC and MP3 format at Archive.org [HERE].

Follow acidjack on Twitter

Givers
2011-06-18
Backyard Brunch Sessions
Brooklyn, NY  USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded by acidjack and hi and lo for nyctaper.com
Produced by acidjack

Equipment: Schoeps Mk5 (omni)>EAA PSP2 + AKG C414 B-XLS (hypercardiod and omni modes) + DPA 4021 >> Tascam DR-680 (24/48)
Mastering: 6x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audition (multitrack mixdown, normalize, set fades)>Audacity (tracking, amplify)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Saw You First
02 [banter]
03 Up Up Up
04 Meantime

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Givers, like them on Facebook, and purchase In Light from iTunes or your favorite retailer.

Archers of Loaf: June 25, 2011 Music Hall of Williamsburg – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

June 28, 2011
By

archers of loaf
[Photo credit]

Archers of Loaf hold a special place in my heart, as they were among the leaders of the vanguard of Chapel Hill, NC bands that cultivated an incredible college-town scene that first encouraged me to move to the area back in the 1990s. By the time I arrived in the area, many of the scene’s anchor bands like Archers and Polvo were broken up or about to, but what they created left an indelible impression, making this town in the heart of the “Research Triangle” of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill a major music destination, especially in the southeast, and propelling the local Cat’s Cradle club to near-legendary status. Archers, in particular, were a band with a lot of integrity, and one that thrived on an outstanding live show and the creative songwriting of frontman Eric Bachmann, who continues to be a creative force in his own right with his project Crooked Fingers.

Now, after a 13-year hiatus, the Archers are back, at least for now, joining a number of high-profile 1990s indie acts (like this one) on the reunion circuit. Storming the stage at Music Hall of Williamsburg to a raucous show of support, the Archers proved that they haven’t lost a step since their first retirement. With a setlist that focused heavily on earlier material from the albums Icky Mettle, Vee Vee and various EPs (much of which material can be found on the compilation The Speed of Cattle) and ignored almost completely the later records All the Nation’s Airports and White Trash Heroes, the band offered plenty of red meat to their most hardcore fans. Even for a Saturday night crowd, this one was going absolutely insane for their hosts, leading chants of “Welcome back! Welcome back!” as they took the stage and singing, screaming and caterwauling through the entire set. The band were so impressed with the Brooklyn crowd that they came back for a second encore featuring the non-album track “Smokin’ Pot in the Hot City” and closing with “Bacteria,” which was interrupted twice by a hilarious fan dancing onstage. As the house lights went up, the members could still be found onstage, high-fiving and shaking hands with the fans down front, many of whom had sung every word by heart.

I recorded this set with the DPA microphones from the balcony. I was not totally happy with the house mix in the venue, but the largest single flaw of the recording is a particularly enthusiastic audience member who really gets over the top (mostly) between songs. Suffice it to say, what you can hear of this person’s performance in this recording – made from directional microphones faced away from the crowd – was ten times louder in person. I’ll let listeners decide for themselves how they feel about it. Overall, the recording is a great representation of the night, for better or worse. Enjoy!

Thanks to our friends at Merge Records for granting us permission to record and for their support!

Stream “Greatest of All Time”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/A6250Archers2011/18 Greatest of All Time.mp3]

Stream “Smokin’ Pot In the Hot City”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/A6250Archers2011/27 Smokin’ Pot In the Hot City.mp3]

Stream “Wrong”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/A6250Archers2011/23 Wrong.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Direct download of FLAC files [HERE]

Follow acidjack on Twitter

Archers of Loaf
2011-06-25
Music Hall of Williamsburg
Brooklyn, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: DPA 4021>Oade M248>Sony PCM-M10 (24/44.1)
Position: Balcony, LOC, micas on clamp aimed down, PAS
Mastering: 24it/44.1kHz WAV>Audition (EQ, balance)>Audacity (tracking, set fades, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time 1:24:47]

01 [intro]
02 Audiowhore
03 Harnessed In Slums
04 [banter]
05 Revenge
06 [banter]
07 You and Me
08 Might
09 Lowest Part Is Free
10 Freezing Point
11 Scenic Pastures
12 Form and File
13 1985
14 Fabricoh
15 Dead Red Eyes
16 [banter]
17 Worst Defense
18 Greatest of All Time
19 Web in Front
20 What Did You Expect?
21 Nostalgia
22 [encore break 1]
23 Wrong
24 Plumb Line
25 Slow Worm
26 [encore break 2]
27 Smokin’ Pot In the Hot City
28 Bacteria

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Archers of Loaf, visit their website, and purchase their official releases directly from Merge Records (who just re-released their debut album, Icky Mettle) [HERE]

Guided By Voices: June 18, 2011 Northside Festival, McCarren Park – Streaming Songs + Download Link for Offsite Purchase

June 27, 2011
By


[Photos courtesy of MaryAnne Ventrice]

There is no doubt that the single most highly anticipated performance at all of this year’s Northside Festival was the McCarren Park performance of Guided By Voices.  Touring with the reunited mid-90s “classic” lineup of the band since last year, frontman Robert Pollard has proven that he hasn’t lost a step – or his ability to guzzle alcohol onstage.  The first time I saw GBV, with this same lineup, he went through a case of beer during a 90-minute set.  Here, Pollard did himself one better, throwing back a bottle of Cuervo as he complimented our neighborhood (lots of bars, after all), mused negatively about Pittsburgh and some of his non-classic lineups, and – oh yeah – performed a monster 40-song set (equaling, thanks to GBV’s short songs, just under 110 minutes).

True to the best years of the “classic lineup,” this set focused on the band’s mid-90s classics Alien Lanes (with “Pimple Zoo,” “Watch Me Jumpstart,” “Striped White Jets” and “Motor Away”, among others) and Bee Thousand (“Tractor Rape Chain,” “Hot Freaks”, “I Am A Scientist,” etc.) among the many other records covered.  For this show, Pollard was his usual freewheeling, unhinged self, swigging his drink and belting out the lyrics to his songs like a rock star 25 years his junior.  GBV were among the first bands to be referred to as “lo-fi” because of Pollard’s use of barely-functional recording equipment on his earlier records, but live, it is evident how tight these songs are, filled with classic hooks and absent filler.  Pollard has long had the rare gift of churning out these nuggets of greatness in vast quantities, and bless him for that –  he has more good songs on one record than most bands have in their careers. (It should be added that he has more good records out than ten good bands are likely to put out in their careers).  As a result, this set never faltered, even through three encores, with Pollard delivering humorous crowd banter with an economy equal to his songwriting and the familiar hits coming and coming, punctuated by between song chants of “GBV! GBV!”  It rarely slowed down, either, except for a tidy acoustic “Awful Bliss,” after which Pollard reminded us, “You’ve gotta do the acoustic songs, man.  That’s what makes a rock concert… it’s like Emerson, Lake and Palmer.”  And then he played another song.  And another.  And another.

When the show finally wrapped up at nightfall with a rocking “Weed King,” we knew we had gotten our money’s worth.  We also knew that of all the “lo-fi” bands we might see during the weekend, they’d have a hell of a time competing with the gold standard, even if the gold standard was born in 1957.  I don’t know whether Pollard thrives because or in spite of all that alcohol, but he does.  And our night, our weekend, our Northside Festival, wouldn’t have been half of what it was without him.

This show presented a unique opportunity for the NYCTaper crew.  GBV has been officially releasing all of their reunion performances on their online store, gbvdigital.com.  Because we wanted the band and the fans to have the best recording possible for the site, we agreed to record this show for gbvdigital for free, in exchange for the chance to record the show and host a couple of the streaming tracks on this site.  As a result, the full show cannot be downloaded here, but can be purchased from gbvdigital in MP3, FLAC or AAC format via the link below.

Stream “Don’t Stop Now”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/G8160GBV2011/GBV-Don’t Stop Now2011-06-18.mp3]

Stream “I Am A Scientist”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/G8160GBV2011/GBV-I Am A Scientist2011-06-18.mp3]

PURCHASE THE FULL SET [HERE]

Guided by Voices
2011-06-18
Northside Festival
McCarren Park
Brooklyn, NY  USA

Recorded and produced by NYCTaper.com for gbvdigital.com
[nyctaper, hi and lo, johnny fried chicken boy, and acidjack]

Equipment: Soundboard + Schoeps Mk41>NBox+ + Schoeps Mk5 (omni)>EAA PSP2 >> Tascam DR-680 (24/48)
Position: FOB, DFC, Mk5s NOS, Mk41s DINa
Mastering: 6x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (EQ omni source, Dyson compression on soundboard source, adjust and balance levels, mixdown, set fades, tracking,  additional EQ, smooth peaks)>FLAC ( level 8 ) and >MP3 (VBR0)

Tracks [Total Time 1:48:53]
01 [Intro]
02 Pimple Zoo
03 Expecting Brainchild
04 #2 In the Model Home Series
05 Watch Me Jumpstart
06 Melted Pat
07 Shocker In Gloomtown
08 Kicker of Elves
09 Buzzards and Dreadful Crows
10 Always Crush Me
11 Gleemer
12 Tractor Rape Chain
13 Hot Freaks
14 Striped White Jets
15 Squirmish Frontal Room
16 14 Cheerleader Coldfront
17 Dodging Invisible Rays
18 Gold Star For Robot Boy
19 Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory
20 Cut-Out Witch
21 Sad If I Lost It
22 Matter Eater Lad
23 A Good Flying Bird
24 Awful Bliss
25 Quality of Armor
26 Jane of the Waking Universe
27 Unleashed! The Large-Hearted Boy
28 Exit Flagger
29 I Am A Scientist
30 Game of Pricks

ENCORE 1
31 [First Encore Intro]
32 Echos Myron
33 Bright Paper Werewolves
34 Motor Away
35 Don’t Stop Now
36 Smothered In Hugs

ENCORE 2
37 A Salty Salute
38 My Valuable Hunting Knife
39 Over the Neptune>Mesh Gear Fox

ENCORE 3
40 [Third Encore Intro]
41 My Impression Now
42 Some Drilling Implied
43 Weed King

We encourage you not only to purchase this set from GBVdigital, but to also support Guided By Voices by visiting their website and buying their official albums (which you should already own anyway).

Quilty: June 19, 2011 NYCTaper Northside Showcase @ Public Assembly – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

June 24, 2011
By

quilty
[Stills from this video]

Our very first Northside Festival showcase (co-sponsored with Pop Tarts) got off to a heavy, loud and massive start with the Brooklyn band Quilty. Perhaps best distinguished by the fact that Chuck, their bassist, plays a “trombass” – a trombone attached to various effect pedals that give it a variety of bass guitar-like sounds – Quilty get your attention quickly. Vocalist Sadie Dupuis has a voice that shifts gears from sweetly melodic to snarl. Her voice, combined with the band’s huge drums and buzzsaw guitars, can’t help but bring one back to the great bands of the early and mid-90s. The song “Supernova,” in particular, evoked fond memories of the band Veruca Salt, although Quilty do a much better job actually being heavy than that band did trying to transition to that sound after one record. The set was a mix of songs from their excellent full-length, Clover/Coriander as well as some new material, and their live sound rocked even harder than that record. For those still dragging in from day shows, or the previous day’s hangovers, Quilty’s set was a bolt to the brain. They shook the walls of Public Assembly’s front room – heck, they shook my guts – but their songcraft shone through it all.

I recorded this set with the AKG large-diaphragm microphones taped to posts split 5′ apart back by the soundboard to capture the full feel of the room, plus a soundboard feed. The recording is excellent. Enjoy!

Stream “Supernova”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/Q1906Quilty2011/Quilty-Supernova.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Quilty
2011-06-19
NYCTaper Northside Showcase
Public Assembly
Brooklyn, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: AKG C414 B-XLS (cardiod)>Sound Devices USBpre2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: Mics mounted to posts, 5′ split, 8ft up
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, set fades, tracking, smooth peaks, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Siiya
02 Supernova
03 Carnivale
04 Lizard Queen
05 Chris on the Beach
06 2
07 Cult of Ego
08 Shark Week

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Quilty, visit their website, and buy their music from their bandcamp page or bigcartel.com.

Magik Markers: June 17, 2011 Northside Festival, St. Cecilia’s RCC – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

June 23, 2011
By

magik-markers-1
[photo by Nate Door for Impose Magazine]

When you have the opportunity to open for Woods in a setting as dramatic as St. Cecilia’s Roman Catholic Church in East Williamsburg at the Northside Festival, you have to bring your A game. Hartford, CT psych rockers Magik Markers were more than up to the challenge as they played an impressive set of layered, hypnotic songs that were completely new to us (we also checked with a good friend who has released a record for them, and he didn’t know, either). In a mere four songs that spanned a half-hour, the Markers gave the crowd a dose of their magnificent, dense new material that resounded throughout the cavernous church. Although we can’t claim to know even when this material will see the light of day in officially released form, it is no doubt a return to the more freeform style typified by the band’s work before their most recent album, Balf Quarry.

I recorded this set from the same location as the Woods recording, but with the addition of an analog preamp to add a more natural sound. The result is quite good, although one should note that the low vocal mix is a band choice, not a failure of the sound engineers or recording. Enjoy!

Stream “untitled”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/M3091Markers1002/magikmarkers2011-06-17stcecilias_acidjack-02.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Magik Markers
2011-06-17
Northside Festival
St. Cecilias RCC
Brooklyn, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: Soundboard + Schoeps Mk41>CMC6>Oade M248 >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: Slightly LOC, at soundboard, mics at 7ft
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, set fades, tracking, smooth peaks, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 [unknown]
02 [unknown]
03 [unknown]
04 [unknown]

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Magik Markers, visit their website, and purchase their excellent album Balf Quarry from Drag City Records here.

White Suns: June 16, 2011 Northside Festival, Glasslands – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

June 23, 2011
By

white suns
[Photo courtesy of L Magazine]

The arresting noisecore squall of White Suns is not for everybody. The band makes challenging, relentless music that pushes boundaries and often defies conventional understandings of song structure and composition. To the unitiated or unready, their music might just sound like an unholy racket – discordant, squealing guitars, sporadic gunfire bursts of drumming, demolished electronics. But White Suns are clearly fine with that – this is not a band that bends its will to the masses, clearly. But unlike a lot of the bands of their type, they are not merely cerebral avant-rockers pushing boundaries for boundaries’ sake. Their songs seethe volatility and anger a la more traditional punk and hardcore, but without their often rote structure and dynamics. The crowd at Glasslands on this opening night of Northside Festival was clearly ready for White Suns, and the band gave a short but powerful set, opening up with a brooding, clangorous improvisation into the song “Voyeur,” followed by an untitled new number that was the most straight-ahead hardcore song of the night, and ending with a seven-minute “Fire Sermon,” a masterful exploration of noise dynamics that found singer/guitarist Kevin Barry repeatedly knocking his mic stand to the floor. Although their set came and went in about 20 minutes, White Suns left an indelible impression.

hi and lo and I recorded this set from the same location as the Mr. Dream and Sleepies recordings. The sound of this one is particularly good. Enjoy!

Stream “Fire Sermon”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/W1606WhiteSuns2011/whitesuns2011-06-16glasslands_acidjack-03.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

White Suns
2011-06-16
Northside Festival
Glasslands Gallery
Brooklyn, NY  USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded by acidjack and hi and lo
Produced by acidjack

Equipment: Schoeps Mk5 (omni)>EAA PSP2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: Clamp to center post, about 7.5ft up, 30cm split
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, set fades, tracking, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Improv>Voyeur
02 untitled
03 Fire Sermon

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT White Suns, visit their website, and purchase their latest record [HERE]

Sleepies: June 16, 2011 Northside Festival, Glasslands – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

June 20, 2011
By

sleepies
[Photo from Sleepies Facebook page]

Sleepies are a Brooklyn punk band that I have now had the pleasure of seeing twice, both times on bills shared with their friends Mr. Dream. This Northside Festival show found them in fine form, delivering their raw brand of punk rock to a crowd that was hungering for it. The band’s sound takes several cues from the Sex Pistols, such as on the ragged “Summer Bummer.” Sleepies already have some solid recorded output, including two songs on bandcamp that are produced by Mr. Dream’s Nick Sylvester, and an LP available here. Check them out the next time you can!

Stream “Feelers”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/S0616Sleepies2011/Feelers.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Follow acidjack on Twitter

Sleepies
2011-06-16
Northside Festival
Glasslands Gallery
Brooklyn, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded by acidjack and hi and lo
Produced by acidjack

Equipment: Schoeps Mk5 (omni)>EAA PSP2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: Clamp to center post, about 7.5ft up, 30cm split
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, set fades, tracking, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Hypochondriac Blues
02 Summer Bummer
03 Combat
04 Cool Boy
05 Feelers
06 Temporary Setback
07 Sludge River Mouth

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Sleepies, like them on Facebook, and purchase their official releases from the links above.

Woods: June 17, 2011 Northside Festival, St. Cecilia’s RCC – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

June 19, 2011
By

woods northside
[still from this video]

Having already seen Woods perform in front of the Joshua Light Show last year at Abrons Arts Center (possibly the best show I saw that year), I wasn’t sure Woods could top the unique setting or outstanding performance. But then they announced that their Northside Festival performance would be held at St. Cecilia’s Roman Catholic Church, an impressive old-style cathedral nestled on a quiet block of East Williamsburg, and I knew they would have the opportunity to do both. Set against an imposing backdrop of religious icons and an American flag, Woods played a majestic set that, yes, could probably be called a religious experience. Although the band was celebrating the release of their well-received new record, Sun and Shade, rather than playing through the new record, they took the journey in a different direction reminiscent of the Abrons Arts Center show. All the qualities that led me to call them the “preeminent indie rock jam band” after that show were on full display on this night, as they wove deep psychedelic experimentation throughout some of their best-known songs. Combined with the cavernous room, the effect was magical, spiritual and satisfying. The set kicked off with “Pushing Onlys” from the new record, followed by a string of favorites – “Blood Dries Darker”, a typically extended “Bend Beyond” and “Rain On,” before taking a mellow interlude with “Be All Be Easy” and “Say Goodbye” from Sun and Shade. Things picked up after that with a mix of old and new material, with the set climaxing with a trippy, mind-blowing twelve-minute version of “I Was Gone” that rivaled the incredible “Bend Beyond” from the Abrons show. The band also played a new song, “Mind Them Empty,” which will be out next month on a 7″ on Sacred Bones Records. This is why Woods shows are always exciting experiences, and why I continue to believe they could very well be Brooklyn’s best live band right now. The band will hosting the upcoming Woodsist Festival in Big Sur, which will feature some natural beauty that Northside perhaps lacks. But for man-made incredible shows in equally grand surroundings, this show at St. Cecilia’s will be a very, very difficult one to top.

I recorded this set with a well-mixed soundboard feed from the house engineer Chris (who like many of the hardworking engineers at Northside, seemed to be inundated with late-breaking requests for board feeds), combined with Schoeps supercardiod microphones that picked up the natural sound of the room. The results are excellent. Enjoy!

Today is the final day of the Northside Festival, and there are still many great evening shows to go to – including ours! Please check out our showcase, co-sponsored with Pop Tarts Suck Toasted, at Public Assembly, starting at 8pm, featuring eleven incredible up-and-coming bands!

Stream “Be All Be Easy”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/W2206Woods2990/06 Be All Be Easy.mp3]

Stream “I Was Gone”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/W2206Woods2990/12 I Was Gone.mp3]

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Woods
2011-06-17
Northside Festival
St. Cecilia’s Roman Catholic Church
Brooklyn, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: Soundboard + Schoeps Mk41>CMC6 >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: At soundboard, slightly LOC, mics at 7.5ft PAS
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (smooth peaks of SBD source, Dyson compression on SBD source, envelope on SBD source, mixdown, tracking, amplify)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time: 1:01:03]
01 Pushing Onlys
02 Suffering Season
03 Blood Dries Darker
04 Bend Beyond
05 Rain On
06 Be All Be Easy
07 Say Goodbye
08 Find Them Empty
09 To Have In the Home
10 To Clean
11 Get Back
12 I Was Gone

If you download this recording from nyctaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Woods, visit their website, and purchase their official releases, including Sun and Shade, from Woodist Records [HERE].

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