Hello

In case you are stopping by for the first time or haven't stopped by in a while, I thought I would put up a message telling you where I have been/where you can find me. I have been active at the following places:

The Battering Room on Tumblr
The Battering Room on Twitter
The Battering Room on Facebook

Just because it's been quiet here, doesn't mean The Battering Room is no more. Maybe someday I will pick things up again back here, but it probably won't be anytime soon.

Favorite Albums of 2009

Why not. Here we go. Don't really care if some of these were "actually 2008" albums. What the fuck ever. And I guess the Phantogram album isn't even released yet, even though it feels like I have been listening to that album forever now. Only ordering the Top 5. The rest are in no order. Also threw in my top 3 favorite Arts & Crafts albums for the hell of it.

1) Japandroids - Post-Nothing
2) We Were Promised Jetpacks - These Four Walls
3) The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns
4) Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
5) Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains
Phantogram - Eyelid Movies
Brand New - Daisy
The Answering Machine - Another City, Another Sorry
Here We Go Magic - Here We Go Magic
Built To Spill - There Is No Enemy
The Antlers - Hospice
Grooms - Rejoicer
Doves – Kingdom Of Rust
Clues - Clues
Israel Darling - Dinosaur Bones and Mechanical Hands
Holiday Shores - Columbus’d the Whim
Matt & Kim - Grand
Company of Thieves - Ordinary Riches
Freelance Whales - Weathervanes
Future of the Left - Travels with Myself and Another

1) Apostle of Hustle - Eats Darkness
2) The Most Serene Republic - ... And The Ever Expanding Universe
3) Still Life Still - Girls Come Too

After the Jump Littlefield Weekend

Come hang out with us all day! Free Brooklyn Lager for the first hour each day!

Not to mention...

A delicious food menu designed by former WD-50 chef, Scott Koshkoodi

Live screenprinting by artist j.morrison from Space is the Place

A GIANT hot pink elephant art installation by Snoozer Loser

Organic and vegan bake sale by Jamie Cakes

Plus other surprises throughout the weekend!

*Added to the line-up is Helado Negro dj, The Octagon, Shark?, Captain Ahab and the Sea Crackens and Thing One

Order your three day pass now, don't miss out on anything! Pre-order for a discounted rate of $25 and one day passes for $10 (http://www.littlefieldnyc.com/upcoming-events/). Door is $30 and $12.

Special Thanks to our supporters:
Brooklyn Brewery ASCAP CMJ'09 Goldest Egg

AFTER THE JUMP IS ORGANIZED BY:
themusicslut . batteringroom . ryspace . irockiroll . merryswankster softcommunication . musicisart . bumpershine . themodernage productshopnyc . subinev . punkphoto . poptartssucktoasted . jinners nyctaper

WITH HELP FROM:
watercoolergossip . brooklynskiclub . radioexile . starkonline wesleyverhoeve.com

Tumblring

Think I'll give this a try. Seems very fitting for my flyer posting tendencies. I like the train of thought nature of Twitter and Tumblr feels like a way to find a middle ground between here and Twitter. As usual though, I feel like I'm late to the party and just finally figuring out something that many have already figured out before me. Oh well.

Tumblring.

Finest Dearest back on the east coast next week!

Finest Dearest are coming back to the east coast! This is their first trip across the country since their first trip across the country in April '08. While they were in town I saw them play @ Trash and even though the show was somewhat sabotaged by a dreadful sound dude, they kicked ass. I usually try to avoid going to shows the night before Siren, but not this time. If you haven't been to Dead Herring yet, it's just some folks' apartment. Even though that may sound potentially disastrous, the sound there is actually not that bad.

Siren Festival - 2009 Schedule

So here's what I think. Some of Bear Hands -> Japandroids -> FR -> FOOD -> APTBS -> Monotonix -> BTS. OR MAYBE some of Bear Hands ->Japandroids -> FOOD -> FOTL -> APTBS -> Monotonix -> BTS. Wish they swapped FOTL and Micachu. Otherwise, no other complaints. Good to see that the stages are staying in the same place, wasn't sure what was going to happen with that.

The Battering Room Northside Festival Showcase

This Saturday!!!

Semi-outdoors (weather permitting)!!!
Completely, totally, 100% FREE!!!
5 amazing bands!!!

Once again, here are the set times:

6 - Bridges and Powerlines
5 - pow wow!
4 - Appomattox
3 - The Pet Ghost Project
2 - Family Lumber

Jeff K of L Magazine and Merry Swankster will be DJing throughout the day!!!

Flyer designed by Bunkre!!!

LET'S DO THIS!!!

!!!

Northside Festival

L Magazine's Northside Festival begins next week. You may or may not be aware that I am presenting one of the festivals many showcases. My showcase is taking place during the day at my favorite bar on planet Earth, Matchless, on Sat June 13. Doors open @ 1pm. Set times:

6 - Bridges and Powerlines
5 - pow wow!
4 - Appomattox
3 - The Pet Ghost Project
2 - Family Lumber

I'll have more details soon. In the meantime, take a look at the rest of the Northside Schedule here.

Deli Magazine’s Best of NYC Fest

I fully endorse our (After The Jump) endorsement of this:

Wednesday 05.06 [$10 at the door]
(sponsored by BMI)
@ Southpaw
11:10 Lowry
10:30 Elizabeth & the Catapult
9:40 The King Left
8:50 April Smith
8:10 KaiserCartel
7:30 Mia Riddle

Friday 05.08 [$15 BUY TICKETS]
@ The Bell House
12:00 Crystal Stilts
11:00 Blank Dogs
10:00 Religious Knives
9:00 Dinowalrus

Saturday 05.09 [$12 BUY TICKETS]
@ Joe's Pub
9:30 The Lisps' FUTURITY
FUTURITY is an original indie-rock musical by Brooklyn band The Lisps. A theatrically staged song cycle, FUTURITY tells the story of a Union soldier in the Civil War who is an aspiring science fiction writer. The work fuses traditional Americana, found text, experimental music, and The Lisps’ own brand of quirky co-ed pop.

Sunday 05.10 [$12 BUY TICKETS]
@ The Bell House
(sponsored by ASCAP)
10.00 Chairlift
9.00 Takka Takka
8.10 Angel Deradoorian
7.20 The Secret Life of Sofia
6.30 The Gay Blades

SXSW '09 Official Showcases

The SXSW official showcase schedule has been posted. I skimmed over it quick and these are some of bands that stood out to me. Obviously many of these bands are going to be playing several additional "unofficial" showcases, but that it for you to figure out.

First, these are the band that will/would be TOP priorities for me if I go/was going:

Future of the Left - Aces Lounge - Fri 3/20 9:00pm
Russian Futurists - Karma Lounge - Fri 3/30 1:00am
The Rural Alberta Advantage - Central Pres Church - Thurs 3/19 7:45pm
The Wrens - Prague - Thurs 3/19 TBA
Let's Wrestle - Wave Rooftop - Thurs 3/19 11:00pm
WAVVES - The Music Gym Patio - Thurs 3/19 12:00am
The Coast - Lamberts - Sat 3/12 11:00pm
The Secret Life of Sofia - St David's Church - Sat 3/21 9:00pm

These are notables. Big name/buzz bands.

Voxtrot - Volume - Wed 3/18 11:00pm
Department of Eagles - Central Pres Church - Wed 3/18 10:00pm
Grizzly Bear - Central Pres Church - Thurs 3/19 8:30pm
Here We Go Magic - Club 115 - Thurs 3/19 1:00am
Okkervil River - The Parish - Fri 3/20 1:00am
Matt & Kim - Opal Divine's - Thurs 3/19 TBA
The Thermals - Red Eyed Fly - Thurs 3/19 TBA
Silversun Pickup - Antone's - Sat 3/21 TBA
The Rosebuds - The Parish - Sat 3/21 TBA

Two NY bands that I highly recommend:

The Cloud Room - Cedar Door - Wed 3/18 TBA
Bell - Club de Ville - Wed 3/18 TBA

Two showcases, other than the AFTER THE JUMP SHOWCASE, which i have already posted about, stood out as being all around great:

MOKB show - Radio Room - Wed 3/18
Slumberland/Cakeshop show - Emo's Jr - Fri 3/20

I reserve the right to add to this post.

UFO Sighting in Brooklyn

travels - The Hot Summer, Union Hall

travels are coming back for their second ever NYC show! Union Hall, Sat Feb 21. Playing with Get Him Eat Him and Kleenex Girl Wonder. Excellent lineup. travels were one of my TOP priorities for CMJ '08. I saw them at Bell House and loved them. Hopefully this is the beginning of many more NYC shows as they promote their new album, The Hot Summer, which I have been listening to a lot. Fans of their first album and of their previous bands, especially Metal Hearts, will be pleased. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

After The Jump - SXSW '09 Lineups

Two shows this year. Official and Unofficial. Here are the lineups:

The Official ATJ/SXSW Showcase
Thursday, 8pm-2am
The Rusty Spurs Saloon, 405 E 7th St.

Featuring:
- Bearsuit
- Drink Up, Buttercup
- Fight Bite
- Bloodsugars
- Eugene McGuiness
- A Classic Education

The Unofficial House Party at the infamous ATJ Backyard presented by Red Stripe (that means free beer)
Friday 1pm - 11pm (?)
1204 Salina St. - EAST SIDE BABY

Featuring:
- Superdrag
- the Parenthetical Girls
- the Pains of Being Pure at Heart
- Cause Co-Motion
- Blank Dogs
- Nite Jewel
- Girls
- Golden Triangle
- US Royalty

This year MAY be my first SXSW, but it's going to be a very last minute decision. Whether I go or not, I'll try to throw up some suggestions for bands to check out.