IT'S BAAAACK : La Fleche d'Or to reopen on 23 November. Hooray!

In the interest of full disclosure, I only went to la Flèche d'Or once to see Pony Pony Run Run before they were big enough to fill up une salle like La Cigale, but I didn't even stay for their set because my right ear was freaking out and I didn't know what wrong with it back then. (Which, ya' know, now I'm okay.)

And then I got news sometime back in May that it was shutting down due to "noise complaints." I thought it was gone for good (although this site posits that it was merely closed for soundproofing work) and was incredibly upset as I'd intended to spend every night I possibly could seeing shows there. La Flèche wasn't perfect - for starters, the drinks were terribly overpriced, but I suppose that was to make up for the fact that there was always 100% free entry. Plus they brought together obscure, up-and-coming, and fading bands from France, Belgium, the UK, the US, and more together for shows pretty much every night. I didn't go very often (if at all), but I did find some really great artists (like the aforementioned PPRR and Georgie James, for example) through their line-up.

Well, according to A Nous Paris, la Flèche is set to reopen on the 23rd, having been taken over by Alias and Asterios productions :







I'm not so keen on this whole "plus de sobriété" thing, but I guess if you're reopening a rock club that's been shut down for noise, it's necessary. The other big change : entry is now payante instead of free, which is a bummer. But 8 euros for a show is pretty reasonable and you get a drink along with that, so I guess it works out. Will that prevent me from going as often as I would have were it free? Yes. Do I still intend on making trips out there? Sure. Besides, Alias Productions sponsors a whole bunch of artists that I like, so I'm sure there will be shows I'll want to see.

Evan Dando from the Lemonheads is heading opening night, along with Chris Brokaw, Anoraak, and The Two. For the rest of the upcoming line up, go here.

Stuck In My Head : The / Les Plastiscines, "Barcelona"

So the only song I had by The Plastiscines (otherwise known as Les Plastiscines in their native pays) was a remix of "Loser" by Les Petits Pilous that I grabbed from some place around the webbernets and that has seriously been making me dance for...however long I've had it. Over a year, at least, because I put it in this mix a while back.

Anyway, so, Nylon magazine has recently launched Nylon Records because...I don't know why, but they handpicked ces filles to be their first act signed, which makes sense as Nylon seems to be generally obsessed with things that are French, perceived as "hip," and / or both (see also : Phoenix, but that's totally warranted). (Not that I'm saying this is a bad thing, in and of itself...)

All right, point is, The Plastiscines, who seemingly dance around in heels and like to channel Brigitte Bardot, are now "on" Nylon, they've released both an EP and an LP (titled About Love), and the lead single is stuck in my head. That's my whole point. It's catchy. It makes me want to dance. And songs about Barcelona are good for summer mixes. Sometimes I'm not really picky about this sort of thing.



The rest of the above-mentioned LP can be streamed over here.

Phoenix to perform LIVE web concert tomorrow at SFR Studios. Sign up!

Tomorrow, 3rd June, Phoenix will be playing a live set at French mobile carrier SFR's Attention Musique Fraiche! live concert series. The show is at 8:30 pm Paris time (that would be 2:30 pm EST, although the countdown thing on the SFR site is giving me 23 hours to go...weird) and you can watch it live on ton ordi. (That would be "your computer" in English.)

You do have to sign up, however, which you can do by going here and filling out the form outlined in red ("informations obligatoires"; don't worry about the box labeled "informations facultatives") : screenname (pseudo), password (mot de passe), first name (prenom), last name (nom), email, and the captcha phrase given IN LOWERCASE LETTERS (they're being tricksy like that). Then, of course, confirm your email and sign in to the SFR site to enjoy the show.

There's a video interview with Phoenix here as well, but I'm not translating that for you. Sorry.



ETA : So, I'm not really 100% positive as to whether or not you have to sign up to watch the show. That's the impression I'm getting, though it could just be an effort by SFR to get more people to log in to their website. Regardless, better safe than sorry, right? Right.

Outdoor Summer Sessions at Le Batofar start next month.

Started two years ago, each summer, Le Batofar in Paris has launched a summer series of beginner's workshops on diverse topics, from dance to music to art and other such things. This year, the series is back, running every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in July and August from 6 to 8 pm. For like, five euros.



This year's schedule, above (or as a larger .pdf here), features classes in soul and groove, juggling, hip hop, African dance, graffiti, and d.i.y. clothing customisation.

Workshops are open to all, but it's recommended that you sign up, which you can do by calling 01.53.14.78.73 or emailing actionculturelle@batofar.org. (This, of course, presumes that you can speak and understand French. And that you'll be in Paris, too.)

Do it do it do it.

Stuck In My Head : Pony Pony Run Run, "Hey You" (Mondkopf remix)

I don't know why I don't read FluoKids more often, because every time I hop over there, I think, "I wish I was writing this blog." Or like, I would have found out that La Fleche was closing down way earlier than I did find out. (NOOOOOOOOOOOOO I cannot tell you how HEARTBROKEN I am over that. IF YOU MOVE IN NEXT TO A ROCK CLUB, IT'S GOING TO BE LOUD, OKAY? DEAL. putain de merde quoi.)

Anyway, in one of the two times a year I look at Hype Machine (my blog apparently isn't cool enough to be listed there so like, whatever), FluoKids' post of the Mondkopf remix of Pony Pony Run Run's "Hey You" (I posted the teaser over here) was at the top of the latest post lists. Okay, well, thanks hypem, I think.

Actually, thanks to FluoKids, 'cause I haven't even listened to the whole thing yet, and I love it already.

Pony Pony Run Run - "Hey You" (Mondkopf remix)

Actually, the original has been pretty stuck in my head, too, so, uh, here's the video:

PONY PONY RUN RUN - HEY YOU [OFFICIAL VIDEOCLIP]
by 3emebureau

You Need Pony Pony Run Run is out on 15th June.
Mondkopf just released a new LP, titled Galaxy of Nowhere.

New Song? Old Song? Whatever, just download it : Rodeo Massacre, "Brand New Day"

Back when I posted about Rodeo Massacre's recent 7" release and their new song "The Big Smoke," I couldn't find an mp3 to throw in for you lot. Sorry.

Good news, then, as you can now download "Brand New Day" (which may be new or old, but I think it may be the latter) for free. Apparently it's their most popular song, so. Have at it.

Re-up : Stuck In The Sound, "Lola" (Kinks cover)

Last July, I posted about Stuck In The Sound's cover of the Kinks' hit "Lola," which they had released while working on sophomore effort Shoegazing Kids. Since then, I either deleted the file or zshare did it for me because it hadn't been downloaded in a while. As of late, however, I've gotten several requests for the file because it's pretty much impossible to find elsewhere on the Internet and it isn't up on their MySpace anymore. (Believe me, I've tried to find it, because I thought I'd lost the file for a while there.)

So I figured I'd do you guys a solid and re-up it for a little while, making my life a little easier and giving y'all the chance to hear it for a second time.

Stuck In The Sound - "Lola" (Kinks cover) [zshare] [ysi]

You can read my original post (in French, of course) here.

Stuck + I Am Un Chien !! on 6 May.

Stuck In The Sound + I Am Un Chien !!
6 May
7:30
Le Bataclan, Paris

I have yet to write a review of Stuck's sophomore effort, Shoegazing Kids. I should get on that.

In The Studio : The Go Find

If you do not know about The Go Find, fronted/founded by Dieter Sermeus, it is my fault because I have neglected to write about them for a rather long time. I am sorry. But! They're in the studio, making their third record.

So we are recordig the new album.
So we are nervous.
We think it’s going to be reaaaaaaaaally good.
Sometimes we think we better stop the music all together and start a real life?
But most of the time we think we are making the best go find record ever and are very happy with it.
I hope...

d

Pfft, who needs a "real" life anyway? Please keep making music.

Here's a video of them at la Flèche d'Or back in October 2007, taken by Grandcrew (troll their archives for more gorgeous live videos):

New Tour Date : Phoenix add second NYC show.

Right, so, lots of Phoenix going on 'round these parts as of late, yeah? Remember how I was all whining like, "Umm Terminal 5? Nah, thanks."

Yeah, well, Bowery Presents just announced a second date in New York, this time at Music Hall of Williamsburg, on Thursday, 18th June.

Tickets go on sale Friday at noon, and I will seriously be considering purchasing them. The Term5 show the day after is already sold out.

That's all you're getting in terms of interesting updates for right now, sorry.

New Video / New Tour Dates : Phoenix, "Lisztomania"

OH EMM GEE HEY EVERYBODY GUESS WHAT PHOENIX PUT OUT A VIDEO TODAY!

Okay, yeah, I feel like I'm about twelve hours late to the party. (And only in today's blogosphere world is it possible to feel "late to the party" the same day a video is released.) Evs. Pitchfork TV unveiled the video to Phoenix's "Lisztomania" from their upcoming Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.



They also announced their upcoming US/Canada tour dates :

13 June - Park West - Chicago, IL
15 June - Phoenix Concert Theater - Toronto, ONT (lol really?)
16 June - Les Saints - Montreal, QC
17 June - Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA
19 June - Terminal 5 - New York City, NY
21 June - Rock and Roll Hotel - Washington, DC
23 June - Varsity - Minneapolis, MN
25 June - Bluebird - Denver, CO
27 June - Regency Center - San Francisco, CA
28 June - Wiltern - Los Angeles, CA

So...Boston gets the 'Dise, but NYC gets Terminal 5? If it wasn't so damn impractical, I'd be on a bus for Boston. Guess I'll have to wait it out 'til they (presumably) play Paris again in the fall (hopefully at La Cigale, which is roughly half the capacity of Term 5).

New Song (and then some) : Rodeo Massacre, "The Big Smoke"

I wrote about Rodeo Massacre some time ago (read: a year ago), and a lot of stuff has happened in between then and now, including but not limited to losing a bassist and releasing a new 7" single released on 2nd March, "Same Old Story" / "Sundance Kid" (pictured above). You can hear both songs on their 'Space, but if you purchase a t-shirt from the band, you can get the mp3s for free, too.

The also just posted another new song, "The Big Smoke," which apparently has to do with illness and London, where the band is currently continuing work on their next record :

After a long sleep in yesterday I went to Zorba's house to finish the vocal takes of a new song called the Big Smoke that I wrote during the 2 weeks that I was knocked out in bed and sick after Christmas.
Because I was so terribly sick when we started to record the song almost all the vocal takes were made with me singing lying down on a sofa with Zorba leaning over me with the mic stand.
Pretty funny view!

After 3 cures of antibiotics this winter and a loss of 5 kg I suddenly found myself so week that I had to stay at Zorba's in order for him to take care of me and we both felt at that time that London is a very hard town to live in. At the Same moment Ulf calls up to tell us that he got beaten up in his neighborhood on his way home and we felt we had to write a song about all this.

The song is called "The Big Smoke" which is a way of calling London since the late 19th century and when I moved here I had a friend who would always call London the big smoke so it felt like a natural tittle of the song.

Hope you enjoy it.
Love
Izzy

Sounds like fun.


ETA : I would give you a download for "The Big Smoke" or "Same Old Story," but I can't seem to get them onto my machine. So you'll have to fend for yourselves this time.

Phoenix were on SNL (duh), Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix EP is out.

"Lisztomania"

So I just got accepted to teach just outside of Paris this fall. When I got the email, I started jumping around like a nutter (in only a towel! ooh la!), a marked difference from the last time I got accepted to live in France, when I was sort of "meh" about it and then became extremely terrified about it. This time around I'm really excited about it, though it pains me to realise that I'm going to have to leave friends and family and dear, dear New York behind.

So, let's talk about more French things! Like Phoenix! They played on SNL on Saturday! You probably already know that, because everyone else has already posted about it, but, evs. They played the first two releases from their upcoming LP, the ever-so modestly titled Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, which officially drops on 26th May (as well as "Too Young").


"1901"

They've also just released an EP of the same name on iTunes, which is four tracks from the LP - the two above and "Love Like A Sunset" parts one and two. If you're dying to hear more new stuff from WAP, then download it. Otherwise, hold out for the whole record because it is, how do you say, à la hauteur.

Nothing's On Telly : Except Stuck and Pony Pony Run Run ARE on Telly.

Stuck In The Sound were featured on the French-German station Arté's "One Shot Not" on the 28th. It's a nearly 15-minute long video, well done, featuring interviews with the band and two live cuts from their latest release Shoegazing Kids, "Ouais" and my personal favourite "Teen Tale." Sorry if you don't understand French, though; I can't possibly sit here and transcribe the whole thing. Watch it for the live performances if for nothing else.

One Shot Not - Stuck in the Sound - 28/03/09 sur Arte
by lianee

Stuck In The Sound - "Ouais"
Stuck In The Sound - "Teen Tale"

.....

I've been writing about Pony Pony Run Run's latest effort (entitled You need Pony Pony Run Run and due out 15th June on 3ème bureau, according to Play Five) over the past few weeks. The first cut from the album, "Hey You," has since been picked up by French station Canal+ for their "Coming Up Next" spots this season.

Unfortch, it doesn't look like Canal+ allows embedding soooooo you'll have to go here to watch random French people dancing around to PPRR's beats.

Pony Pony Run Run - "Hey You"

You're Such a Tease : Pony Pony Run Run + Silversun Pickups

About a week ago, I wrote about Pony Pony Run Run's forthcoming LP and posted the teaser for "Out Of Control," which you can hear in its entirety on their 'Space. They've got another new song up there now, "Hey You," and yet another teaser:

Pony Pony Run Run - Hey You (teaser)
by 3emebureau

.....

And just when I thought this whole teaser-thing was solely a big thing in France, the Silversun Pickups just posted a teaser video for their upcoming album, Swoon due out on 14th April.



While I'm not sure I'm sold on this whole teaser thing (and I keep wanting to write "taser thing," oy), that looks (and sounds) mighty gorgeous.


(via ultra8201)

New Song / MySpace It : De bonnes nouvelles from Pony Pony Run Run.

I once tried to see Pony Pony Run Run, hailing from France, live at the Fleche d'Or. This, however, was not to be as my ear decided, "Nope, too loud, headache, time to go home." And so I did. So I've been waiting for them to get around to releasing a record ever since.

Good news, then - according to the band, they've just finished recording and mixing their new record, recorded at Ferber Studio in Paris, and it should be out sometime in June.

While you wait, they've posted the first single of the album, "Out Of Control," a reworking of an older PPRR song, on their 'Space. And made a teaser video.

Pony Pony Run Run - Out of Control (teaser)
by 3emebureau

This whole "song teaser" thing seems to be big with French bands. I'm not sure I get it.

In The Studio : Jordan's making a new record (eventually) and has a demo for you.

So I absolutely forgot that French group Jordan had released a record last year and had toured the US and I missed them and all that. My brain is made of Swiss cheese sometimes. (I almost wrote "parfois," but then I remembered that a lot of you probably don't speak fluent Franglais.)

So here's some new news from them:

FRESH NEWS!
Hey friends!

some fresh news:

*we are in the process of writing several new songs and are really excited about it!
*we gonna leave for a small tour in June (8th to 18th). it's in Europe and you can get in touch if you wanna set up a show or just have a free hug...
*after that it's summer break, shitty season for Jordan, but we have a new bigger tour in Fall, possibly far far away and its the time when we'll record the new shit for real!

stay tuned! i know you hate march but we can't wait to have fun with all of you very soon!

Take Care

Long story short, they're demoing, touring, taking a break, touring again in the fall, and making another record after that.

In the meantime, the demo for their new song "Tropics" is available on the À Decouvrir Absolument vol. 15 mixtape (it's difficult to translate "À decouvrir absolument" without sounding too literal, but it's pretty much "stuff you absolutely need to discover") along with a bunch of other acts. Jordan warns, "the version will probably change on a new recording but enjoy it!"

You can download ADA vol. 15 here. (Scroll down to "Télécharger ÀDA Volume 15," for you non-francophiles out there.)

Phoenix's new record is finally coming out, yay!

Totally gacked from Rock Sellout:

Phoenix announced on its official website today that their forthcoming album is officially in the can. The release date hasn’t been announced at this point (Spring of 2009 is all that’s been shared), but the album will be titled Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. I’m not sure why things seem so secretive at the moment about the release. Perhaps a press release will be announced next week? Where’s the track listing? Where’s the artwork? Maybe I expect too much? Anyhow…

Err, that's an interesting title. It's been over a year since they announced they were going into the studio, so...it's about time they put the thing out!

Oh. Happy New Year, btdubs.

ETA: 150th post what.


Taken by this lovely person.

New Release / New Tour Dates / MySpace It : Stuck In The Sound's second record drops 26th January.

Since when are bands making "coming attractions"-style teasers for their new albums...?

TEASER SHOEGAZING KIDS
by DavidFontao

Um, regardless, I am SO EXCITED about Stuck In The Sound's sophomore album, Shoegazing Kids, which drops 26th January, along with a France-wide tour to go with it.

23 Jan 2009 - L’EMB - Sannois
29 Jan 2009 - La Maroquinerie - Paris *
30 Jan 2009 - Le Chabada - Angers
31 Jan 2009 - L’Ephémère - Vannes
6 Feb 2009 - Le Normandy - Saint-Lo
7 Feb 2009 - L’Abordage - Evreux
13 Feb 2009 - Le Grand Mix - Tourcoing
14 Feb 2009 - Le Plan - Ris-orangis ^
20 Feb 2009 - La Lune des pirates - Amiens *
21 Feb 2009 - La Manekine - Pont Sainte Maxence
27 Feb 2009 - le Fuzz’Yon - La roche sur Yon
28 Feb 2009 - Arcade / Tremore - Notre Dame de Gravenchon *
4 Mar 2009 - L’Ubu - Rennes ^
5 Mar 2009 - Barbey - Bordeaux ^
6 Mar 2009 - Victoire 2 + Adam Kesher ^
7 Mar 2009 - Le Phare - Toulouse ^
11 Mar 2009 - La Luciole - Alençon
12 Mar 2009 - L’Olympic - Nantes ^
13 Mar 2009 - Chato’do - Blois ^
14 Mar 2009 - Espace Culturel Leclerc - Niort ^
17 Mar 2009 - Les Grands Marais - Riorges
18 Mar 2009 - La Vapeur - Dijon
19 Mar 2009 - Ninkasi Kao - Lyon ^
20 Mar 2009 - Salle Le Bournot - Aubenas ^
21 Mar 2009 - El Mediator - Perpignan #
26 Mar 2009 - Festival Chorus - Chatenay-malabry
27 Mar 2009 - Les Trinitaires - Metz
28 Mar 2009 - La Cartonnerie - Reims ^
3 Apr 2009 - Cooperative de Mai - Clermont-Ferrand
4 Apr 2009 - Festival Garorock - Marmande
10 Apr 2009 - L’Empreinte - Savigny le temple
11 Apr 2009 - Run Ar Puns - Chateaulin
* with I am un chien
^ with Adam Kesher
# with Music Is Not Fun

Right now, les gars have two new singles, "Shoot Shoot" and "Ouais" ("Yeah," for the uninitiated), up on their 'Space. Oh, they did a teaser for "Ouais," too (yeah, seriously):

Teaser "OUAIS"


Ouaaaaaaaaais.

Festival des Inrocks 2008

So let's talk about this year's Festival des Inrocks and it's pretty amazing line-up and how, if I were living in France and had the money, I'd pretty much be going every night.



The whole shebang (did I really just write that?) started off last night with MGMT, Alela Diane, Fleet Foxes, and She & Him playing L'Olympia in Paris, and continues through the 18th.

A Paris:
13th November - Franz Ferdinand, Get Well Soon, Yo Majesty - La Cigale
14th November - The Ting Tings, Cajun Dance Party, Black Kids, Amazing Baby, GaBLe - La Cigale
15th November - Foals, Friendly Fires, Soko, S. Steve, The Virgins, Wild Beasts - La Cigale
16th November - Hot Chip, Metronomy, Late of the Pier, Kennedy, Cut Copy - La Cigale
17th November - The Kooks, CSS, Mystery Jets, White Lies - Le Zenith

A Lille:
13th November - The Ting Tings, Cajun Dance Party, Black Kids, Soko - Aeronef
14th November - Foals, Friendly Fires, Soko, The Virgins, Wild Beasts - Splendid de Lille

A Nantes:
15th November - The Ting Tings, Cajun Dance Party, Black Kids - Olympic de Nantes
16th November - Foals, Friendly Fires, Soko, The Virgins, Wild Beasts - Olympic de Nantes

A Ramonville:
17th November - The Ting Tings, Cajun Dance Party, Black Kids - Le Bikini
18th November - Foals, Friendly Fires, Soko, The Virgins, Wild Beasts - Le Bikini


Plus some other bands that seem to be on the poster but not listed on any of these dates that I'm seeing.

That's a lot to digest. Point is, there's a shit tonne of bands that I'd love to see (Franz, Mystery Jets, Cut Copy) and would be interested to see (The Ting Tings, Foals, Friendly Fires, The Virgins, CSS, She & Him) and, um. I can't go.

Luckily, les Inrocks and sponsors iDTGV will be posting videos and photos in their Festival blog over here, for those of us unable to swim across to Europe.

If you do happen to be in France, there's some ticket info over here, although a majority, if not all, of the Paris shows are currently complet. That's French for "sold out."


I mean, frankly, whose idea was this whole "Atlantic Ocean" business, anyway...?