nyctaper Recordings

[photo courtesy of Impose Magazine – more here]

When we walked into “The 1896” in industrial North Bushwick for the “Brooklyn vs. Baltimore” Marathon a few weeks ago, it was basically a huge empty warehouse. In the corner, ToddP’s staff worked on constructing the stage, and in the other room the bands and other early entrants started the party. Within an hour, the empty room became a packed event with estimates of between 1500 to 2000 people. The eight separate groups delivered inspired sets and by the end of the night, virtually anyone who attended this event knew it had been an incredible night. When the book about Todd’s effect on the NYC music scene is written, this particular concert will certainly be among the memorable events.

We recorded six of the eight acts, but ambient noise of the partying crowd essentially drowned out the music for much of the later acts. When the Vivian Girls began their set, the room had not quite filled up yet, and the music is clearer. We chose a spot in front of the soundboard, which was about 50 feet from the stage. During the Vivs set, we had a clear shot at the stacks and this recording is quite clean — perhaps the only flaw is the natural echo of the huge room. However, we have sampled this recording against our recording of the Vivian Girls from South Street Seaport in September, and this one is definitely a better listen. The Vivians performed several new songs, and indeed at least one (possibly two) songs were performed for the first time. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Vivian Girls
2009-01-30
The 1896
Brooklyn, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Front of Board
50 Feet from Stage

Neumann KM-150s (AK-50 Hypercardiod Capsules) > Monster XLR cables > Apogee Minime > digital coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack > 24bit 48kHz wav file > Soundforge 8.0 (set fades, slight level boost, resample 16/44) > CD Wave 1.95 > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by
nyctaper
nyctaper@nyctaper.com
2009-02-22

Setlist:
[total time 22:19]
01 Walking Alone At Night
02 Surfin’ Away
03 The End
04 Can’t Get Over You
05 When I’m Gone
06 Lake House
07 Tell The World
08 I Have No Fun

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Vivian Girls, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their releases from the links at their website, and links at MySpace.

[click to watch The Beets commercial]

So I’m riding in a cab the other day, gazing out the window, when I was jolted to hear the music of The Beets coming from the taxi video screen. The fashion designer Cynthia Rowley produced a bizarre commercial for fashion week which features a bevy of French fashion models playing musical chairs in a gym and The Beets are the band that provides the music (also on youtube here). Besides the fact that the commercial makes virtually no sense whatsoever, its almost comically surreal that of all the bands that could have been selected to play the music, Ms. Rowley chose an obscure Queens lo-fi garage band. I would love to know the story behind their selection.

A month ago, we recorded The Beets at Cake Shop as part of a State Capital Records showcase. This show was captured from up front and the sound quality is quite good, considering that the band intentionally distorts its sound behind a wall of reverb. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

The Beets
2009-01-16
Cake Shop
New York, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Upfront
10 Feet from PA

DPA 4021s > Edirol UA-5 (Oade Digimod) > digital coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 > 24bit 48kHz wav > Soundforge 8.0 (level adjustments, downsample 16/44) > CD Wave > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2009-02-11

Setlist:
[total time 17:55]
08 Tracks

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT The Beets, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their CDs from the instructions on their MySpace page.

[photo from Iron and Wine MySpace]

This week it was announced that Iron and Wine would perform a pair of intimate concerts at NYC’s Abrons Arts Center on May 17 and 18, as part of a tour of small venues with setlists chosen by the fans. Tickets for the Abrons shows go on sale today (Fri 2/20) at Noon EST NOW.

Perhaps the last time that Sam Beam performed at a venue in NYC of this modest size was his first couple of trips to New York, when he played the Knitting Factory. The second such appearance is the concert offered for download here. That night the Knit was a completely packed house, and Iron and Wine delivered a full length concert of one-hundred minutes of material. The setlist included five songs from his yet-to-be-released second album Our Endless Numbered Days, along with one very memorable Flaming Lips cover — “Waitin’ for a Superman” which Iron and Wine will officially release for the first time on May 19, 2009 on the new compilation Around the Well.

This concert was recorded by long time local taper xcxre9, who provided the never-circulated master DAT for extraction and production to be posted on nyctaper. The recording suffered from a major flaw that was adjusted in post-production. The low volume of the quiet music was respected by the crowd during the songs, but the volume of cheering was overwhelming during the breaks in between numbers. In post, the crowd was reduced to an unheard-of 10% of its original volume. Listeners can hear some artifacts of this process, but the overall listening enjoyment of this recording as a whole has been greatly increased. Enjoy!

This concert is being offered in flac format only in respect for the original taper.

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Iron and Wine
2003-10-15
Knitting Factory
New York, New York

Digital Audience Master
Recorded from FOB

Recording: DPA 4061s > SBM-M1 > Sony D-8 DAT Master
Transfer: DAT Master > Panasonic SV-3800 > digital coaxial > Audigy 2 ZS Platinum > Soundforge (major level adjustment/close clapping reduction) > 16 bit 44.1 wav > CD Wave (tracking) > Flac Frontend  (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded by xcxre9
DAT Extraction and Post-Production by nyctaper 2009-02-20

Setlist:
[total time 1:38:01]
01 Each Coming Night
02 Weary Memory
03 On Your Wings
04 Someday The Waves
05 Promise What You Will
06 Faded From The Winter
07 Bird Stealing Bread
08 Free Until They Cut Me Down
09 The Sea And The Rhythm
10 Jesus The Mexican Boy
11 Sinning Hands
12 Lion’s Mane
13 Upward Over The Mountain
14 Waiting For A Superman (Flaming Lips)
15 Promising Light
16 The Rooster Moans
17 Southern Anthem
18 Dearest Forsaken
19 Muddy Hymnal
20 [encore break]
21 The Postal Service
22 Naked As We Came

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Iron and Wine, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their official releases and merch from the store at their website [HERE].

[photo by Tod Seelie – courtesy of Impose]

The CD release show for These Are Powers new release All Aboard Future was perhaps the most ambitious show of this kind that we have ever seen. In anticipation of the release, These Are Powers commissioned artists to interpret the songs on the album. The result is a week-long exhibition at Secret Project Robot. Friday night was the opening and it culminated in a performance by These Are Powers in one of the exhibition rooms. The band performed in the midst of an installation piece, with PA speakers all around the room, and played an incredibly energetic set to a completely packed crowd.

We recorded from the center back against the short side of the rectangular room, which placed our microphones only about 15 feet from the band. The sound system was powerful and this recording has an incredibly rich bass presence and a full spectrum. The only drawback is the art-crowd’s persistent chatter, which fortunately can not be heard when the band is at full volume. Enjoy!

These Are Powers are at Other Music for an in-store performance tonight (Monday Feb 16). They will also perform again this coming Friday (Feb 20) at Market Hotel.

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

These Are Powers
2009-02-13
Secret Project Robot
Brooklyn, NY USA

“All Aboard Future” CD Release Show and Art Exhibit

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Center – 15 Feet from Stage

Neumann KM-150’s > Monster Cable > Apogee Mini-Me > digital coax > M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 > 24bit 48kHz wav > Soundforge 8.0 (level adjustments, downsample) > CD Wave 1.75 > Flac Frontend (level 7) > flac

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2009-02-15

Setlist:
[Total time 47:19]
01
02 Cockles
03 Double Double Yolk
04 Untitled [new song]
05 Adams Turtle
06 Life of Birds
07 Easy Answers
08 Chipping Ice
09 World Class Peoples

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT These Are Powers, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their official releases including the new CD All Aboard Future from the Dead Oceans site [HERE].

[photo by Joe Perez courtesy of Impose Magazine]

The closing band at last Friday’s epic show at Market Hotel was the most established of all five bands — Brooklyn’s “acid folk” veterans Woods. The live Woods is quite a bit more “acid” than the freak-folk sound of their studio releases. As the band eased into the set with a lilting jam reminiscent of A Saucerful of Secrets-era Pink Floyd, the remaining diehards (about half the crowd) were treated to thirty-five minutes of edgy psychedelia which culminated in two covers. Each time we have seen Woods, the set included Graham Nash’s “Military Madness”, but for this show the band also included the Dead Milkmen’s “V.F.W.”, for an oddly matched yet appropriate anti-war segue.

We recorded this set from the same location as the previous three recordings. The band has some feedback problems with the vocal microphone and the mix never quite lined up. However, the sound quality is again quite authentic. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Woods
2009-02-06
Market Hotel
Brooklyn NY USA

Digital Master Audience Recording
Recorded 30 feet from Right PA

Neumann KM-150 (AK-50 Hypercardiods) > Monster Cable > Apogee Mini-Me > Digital Coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 > 24bit 48kHz wav > Soundforge (set fades, level adjustments, downsample) > CD Wave > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2009-02-12

Setlist:
[total time 31:31]
01 Death Rattles
02 Too Clean
03 The Hold
04 Untitled
05 Twisted Tongue
06 Military Madness (Graham Nash)
07 V.F.W. (Dead Milkmen)

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Woods, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their official releases from Woodsist Records

[photo by Joe Perez courtesy of Impose Magazine]

Before the show on Friday at Market Hotel, Blank Dogs was a mysterious figure who released copious amounts of vaguely post-punk but ultimately undefinable material. The songs are intensely layered with multiple effects, the most obvious being the heavily reverbed vocals. The most comprehensive information about Blank Dogs (the person) was the November 2008 interview with Swingset Magazine.

In its previous two live performances, Blank Dogs was a duo of guitarist/vocals “Mr. Blank Dog” and a keyboard/effects artist. We were surprised to see a complete 5-piece band on Friday, but really satisfied within the first couple of songs that the quintet completely worked. The double-guitar effect sounded like Bernard Sumner on speed, and the bass and drums provided a solid back-beat that permitted the keys/effects to let loose. The vocals remained heavily blanketed by the ‘verb, but the real focus of this performance was the consistent engine of noisy rhythm that propelled the songs. We can not imagine that Blank Dogs will be anything but a five-piece in live performance from here forward.

Blank Dogs have several NYC gigs (Le Poisson Rouge and Music Hall included) before embarking on a trip to Austin for SXSW, which will be highlighted by the Blank Dogs appearance at the After The Jump SXSW Showcase.

We recorded this set from the same location as Wavves and Nodzzz, and the sound quality is quite authentic. This is the first live recording of this incredible and prolific artist. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Blank Dogs
2009-02-06
Market Hotel
Brooklyn NY USA

Digital Master Audience Recording
Recorded 30 feet from Right PA

Neumann KM-150 (AK-50 Hypercardiods) > Monster Cable > Apogee Mini-Me > Digital Coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 > 24bit 48kHz wav > Soundforge (set fades, level adjustments, downsample) > CD Wave > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2009-02-07

Setlist:
[total time 33:10]
01 No Compass
02 Setting Fire
03 Leaving The Light On
04 Slow Room
05 Two Months
06 Open/Shut
07 Before The Hours
08 Ants
09 Y.M.S.
10 Crystal Ladies

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Blank Dogs, visit their/his MySpace page, and purchase their/his many releases. The releases are scattered among many labels and quite a few are out of print. Here are a series of links to places where Blank Dogs releases may be purchased: Woodsist Records, Freedom School Records, Sacred Bones Records, Daggerman Records, Seven Ten Twelve, Sweet Rot Records, Troubleman Records.

[photo by Montero Sierra]

As Belle and Sebastian have been fairly dormant over the last two years, this is probably a good time to reach into the archives and pull out this classic and uncirculated recording from 2002. It was announced on Friday that there will likely be new Belle and Sebastian material this year, as the soundtrack for the movie God Help The Girl, with music composed by Stuart Murdoch, will be released this June. The official page for this movie describes is as follows:

The songs were recorded in Glasgow, featuring all the members of Belle and Sebastian and a few guests, and were arranged by Mick Cooke before the orchestral parts were captured at Angel Studios in London. The album features twelve songs, among them reworkings of the Belle and Sebastian songs, ‘Act of the Apostle’ and ‘Funny Little Frog.’

This particular 2002 concert was recorded during a fruitful period in the history of Belle and Sebastian, as the band increased their worldwide popularity, signed to Rough Trade, and released the soundtrack to Storytelling. This concert was recorded by longtime NYC taper “xcxre9” who offered his DAT master to nyctaper for release. It was captured from the first row of the first mezz at Hammerstein and the sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!

This concert will only be offered in flac.

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Belle and Sebastian
2002-05-05
Hammerstein Ballroom
New York, New York USA

Digital Audience Master
Recorded from 1st row of 1st Balcony

Recording: DPA 4061s > SBM-M1 > Sony D-8 DAT Master
Transfer: DAT Master > Panasonic SV-3800 > digital coaxial > Audigy 2 ZS Platinum > Soundforge* > 16 bit 44.1 wav > CD Wave (tracking) > Flac Frontend  (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded by xcxre9
DAT Extraction and Post-Production by nyctaper 2008-12-22

Setlist:
[total time 1:44:55]
01 Sleep The Clock Around
02 There’s Too Much Love
03 The Magic Of A Kind Word
04 I’m Waking Up To Us
05 If You’re Feeling Sinister
06 Mayfly
07 Consuelo
08 Scooby Driver
09 Don’t Leave The Light On Baby
10 The Model
11 The Loneliness Of A Middle Distance Runner
12 Stayin’ Alive (The Bee Gees)
13 Simple Things
14 The Boy With The Arab Strap
15 You Made Me Forget My Dreams (aborted)
16 The Fox In The Snow
17 Family Tree
18 Dog On Wheels
19 The State I Am In
20 The Wrong Girl
21 Dirty Dream Number Two
22 Legal Man
23 [encore break]
24 Get Me Away from Here I’m Dying

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Belle and Sebastian, visit their website, and purchase their official releases from the Store at their website [here].