Blood Red Shoes - Q & A

I chatted with wild child Laura-Mary Carter, one half of the U.K.'s gloriously vicious pop punk duo Blood Red Shoes.

As you'll see/read, nothing was off limits and all the stories you hear about them are probably true.

Cruise over to 'Supmag.com and check it out!

P.S.: Snow Patrol, if this crazy twosome ever offers you a drink, you might want to pass!

R.I.P. - CBGB's Hilly Kristal Has Died

Hilly Kristal,CBGB's founder and a man who seemed like a forever-fixture on the New York City music scene died on Tuesday at age 75. He had battled lung cancer in the past few years.

More at CNN.com

Even though CBGB's was evicted, Kristal never gave up hope that the spirit of his club would live on and it does in Patti Smith, Blondie, The Talking Heads and every punk generation to come.

If anyone deserves a big old party in the sky, it's this man!

Not seeing anything on a funeral or memorial service yet, but look for the music community to come out in big numbers!

Q&A with Los Campesinos!

Los Campesinos! recently hit the NYC-area leaving behind a string of parties, knives and "red stains all over".

I corralled four of the seven Campesinos! for a chat at the Pink Pony where the topics of discussion ranged from Maury Povich to mud and even music!

You can read how it went down at kevchino.com

After the Jump Fest 2007

The first (of what is sure to be many more) After the Jump Fest went down at Studio B in Brooklyn all day and night on Saturday.

The 2007 fest is now part of history but it won't be forgtten by a bunch of kids in the Bronx who'll be spinning on some brand new DJ equipment courtesy of the bloggers and bands who joined together to turn a school's dream into reality.

Congrats to everyone!

Studio B has probably never seen so much action in the daylight hours.

Bring on ATJF 2008!

Here's some of the low down on the day show:


The Teenage Prayers kicked the day show off with a thunderous rocking soul performance. The 5 piece were keeping the preppy indie rock look alive with button downs, skinny ties and white canvas sneakers.

The guys have a great new song called "Is this as Good as it Gets?"

Pics - Teenage Prayers





Besides sexy, Brooklyn's Locksley are bringing tight jeans back! Besides playing their usual blistering set, that's as dark as it is hot, the guys got into the music education theme of the event by bringing two fans up on stage.

The kids were handed a guitar and tambourine and got in some serious jam time with the band.

Pics - Locksley





Bling Kong

Yes, they're still doing the awesome! Bling Kong, our favorite big ape-worshipping band brought the moves and their signature off-beat style to the second stage sponsered by CONCERT.TV.

Always ready with a twist, BK took a "choose your own adventure" approach to their set list. You could pick between going home for another round in the sack with Bling Kong, himself or staying true to a night out with the girls.

Ladies night won!

Pics - Bling Kong






New York gypsy band Golem kept the spirit of the old Polish nieghborhood alive and well as they took the Fest on a musical tour of ethnic music from eastern Europe. Who knew the music of Ukraine rocked!

Pics - Golem





As Syracuse's favorite thrashers Ra Ra Riot took the stage, the crowd hit the main floor, leaving their PBRs behind in exchange for some tunes.

This was the band that most people had come to see and they didn't disappoint.

Catch them later this fall on tour with Editors!

Pics - Ra Ra Riot





When headliner Spectrum took over the Metromix.com mainstage, it marked the return of Pete "Sonic Boom" Kember.

The psychedelic art rock chameleon has a new album due out sometime this fall and is hitting the road too.

Yes, he will be pulling out some old Spacemen 3 tunes!

Pics - Spectrum

Christmas in August?

I know it's a little early to think of peeking under the tree and shaking all those presents wrapped in shiny paper BUT I'm sure Santa (and whoever would like to steal this for me) would understand how fabulous this multi-story banner would look on one of my walls RIGHT NOW!!

Props to the publicity department!

After the Jump Fest - Studio B

Here's what you're doing this weekend!

Some of our favorite bloggers have united to throw a big old music festival for a good cause.

After the Jump Fest goes down this Saturday, August 25th at Studio B in Brooklyn and will raise money to support a music program at a Bronx High School For the Visual Arts.

The day line-up is free but be sure to stick aroud for the night time show because that is where your dollars are needed.

After the Jump Fest is also the kick-off gig for Specturm and I know you want to see Peter "Sonic Boom" Kember live.

So come on out, have a great time, and let's get those kids some equipment to rock the house and lay down their beats with.

Tickets are a very reasonable $12.00 (advance) and $14.00(door) and are available at ticketweb.

Here's the line-up:

The Day Stage Schedule:
2:00 (MetroMix.com STAGE)THE TEENAGE PRAYERS
2:30 (Concert.tv STAGE) JUKEBOX THE GHOST
3:00 (MetroMix.com STAGE) LOCKSLEY
3:30 (Concert.tv STAGE) BLING KONG
4:00 (MetroMix.com STAGE) GOLEM
4:30 (Concert.tv STAGE) GOES CUBE
5:00 (MetroMix.com STAGE) RA RA RIOT
5:30 (Concert.tv STAGE) APACHE BEAT
6:00 (MetroMix.com STAGE) SPECTRUM


Hosted by SARA SCHAEFER (Host of The DL on Spinner.com)


The Night Stage Schedule:
10:00 THE VIRGINS
11:00 SOULICO
Midnight FREE BLOOD
1:00 RIOT IN BELGIUM
FINGER ON THE PULSE (DJ SET)
DAVID BRUNO (SLAP YOU IN PUBLIC) (DJ SET)

Splurge - Releases for August 21st

Pick 'em up!

Architecture in Helsinki : Places Like This - Polyvinyl Records

Earlimart : Mentor Tormentor - Shout Factory

Jeremy Enigk : The Missing Link - 567 Records

Josh Ritter : The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter - Sony

M.I.A. : Kala - Interscope

Minus, the Bear : Planet of Ice - Suicide Squeeze

The New Pornographers : Challengers - Matador

Rilo Kiley : Under the Blacklight - Warner Bros.

Springsteen Conjures Up "Magic"

Reported by Variety, October 2nd will see the release of Magic, the first album by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band since 2002s The Rising.

The band recorded in Atlanta with producer Brendan O'Brien.

Get ready for the marathon live shows that are sure to follow!

Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuce!!!

Los Campesinos! @ Mercury Lounge

Los Campesinos!, Cardiff's very own pop punkers, hit Mercury Lounge for a two-night stand.

I chatted with four of the seven members at the Pink Pony before their Friday night headlining gig and am happy to report that the same skewering sense of humor that runs through their songs was flying back and forth across the table, as well - in between hot chocolates and other steaming beverages, that is!

Look for the interview to post soon on kevchino.com - it covers everything from Maury Povich to mud to what makes a good Campesino.

In other words, they give good interview!

As for the gig, they more than earned the buzz left over from their break-out show at Lollapalooza. The songs from their EP Sticking Fingers into Sockets are just as joyfully spastic live as they are on the disc.

The new songs they tried out are just as good too and one of them even has the band breaking out into a choreographed dance. Cheers for goofy choreography!

Los Campesinos! are headed to Canada to record their debut album with David Newfeld (Broken Social Scene). Be on the look out for it!

Check out some tunes and video at their myspace

Also, the band will be back in NYC on November 30th for a show at Bowery Ballroom.

CMJ 2007 - First Acts Announced

It's coming around again!

CMJ Music Marathon just announced the first of what will be many lists of names upon names of your current and soon-to-be favorite bands. The five day festival will take place this year from Tuesday, October 16 - Saturday, October 20th.

Here's your first round of bands:

Spoon
UNKLE
Justice
British Sea Power
Mates of State
Coheed and Cambria
Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Xiu Xiu
Del tha Funky Homosapien
Dirtbombs
Mute Math
Jesu
Devin the Dude
The Ponys
Islands
Dan Deacon
Tiny Masters of Today
Eisley
Vietnam
Little Brother
Mickey Hart & Zakir Hussein
Brother Ali
Marnie Stern
No Age
Crystal Castles
MSTRKRFT
Chromeo
The Brunettes
1990s
Ruins
A-Trak
Foreign Islands
Kavinsky
Simian Mobile Disco
Deerhunter

Splurge - Release for August 7th

Little bit of a slow week but enjoy it while you can cause the next couple of weeks are going to be insane!


Augie March : Moo, You Bloody Choir - Red Int/Red Ink

The Brunettes : Structure and Cosmetics - Sub Pop

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals : This Is Somewhere - Hollywood Records

Magnolia Electric Co : Sojourner (Box Set) - Secretly Canadian

Okkervil River : The Stage Wars - Jagjaguwar

Lavender Diamond @ Siren Music Festival

I rode the train all the way out to Coney Island for a peek at Siren 2007.

I knew I only had a couple of hours to scarf some Nathan's dog, load up on swag and catch some of the bands - a lot to do in not a lot of time but I just couldn't stay away.

I caught a bit of Elvis Perkins (fine and folky) and the Noisettes (tearing it up, as usual) before I staked out my place for Lavender Diamond. They were one of the few bands playing that I hadn't seen live.

I always thought their music was a little eccentric, walking a fine line between sweet and psychedlic, but nothing could prepare me for the group's lead singer Becky Stark - a 1950s Doris Day in appearance with the soul of a 60s flower child.

Becky acknowledged that Coney Island, as we know it, is about to be decimated, but she offered up a plan for rebuilding: an eco-friendly amusement park complete with roller coasters powered by solar panels!

Okay, I've seen stranger things.

And yes, she thanked everyone for bringing about "peace on earth".

No, she's not confused, it's just a Becky Stark thing.