Arcade Fire played Bowery Ballroom

A day after announcing their new album, Arcade Fire showed up in New York City to play a surprise show at Bowery Ballroom.

Arcade Fire - "Lightning I, II"

Arcade Fire has returned! After five years, the band has announced their new album, WE, and shared the first single(s).

Arcade Fire - "Generation A"

Arcade Fire were the musical guest with Stephen Colbert on Election Night this week and they performed a new song, "Generation A."

Shows of 2017

In a year of what felt like total chaos, live music felt like a mental escape from the madness of real life. These were the shows that helped me break away from polarizing political moments and be overtaken by the positivity of the masses joined together by songs.

Arcade Fire played Madison Square Garden

For the first time in their career, Arcade Fire delivered an album that was met with harsh reviews from both fans and critics alike. Luckily, their current tour proves that they're still one of the best live bands in the world.

Arcade Fire - "Creature Comfort"

Arcade Fire are back and are set to release their new record, Everything Now, July 28 via Columbia. After dropping the title-track lead single, they've now shared a new song and video for the follow-up, "Creature Comfort".

Arcade Fire - "I Give You Power"

Arcade Fire have shared a new song called "I Give You Power" featuring Mavis Staples. It's the band's first piece of new material since 2013's Reflektor and proceeds from the song will go to the ACLU.

Panorama | 2016

For years, it felt as if there was a festival drought in the North Eastern part of the country. Now, after a few years of success with Governor's Ball, the people who bring you Coachella have thrown their hat into the mix with Panorama.

Arcade Fire played Barclays Center

Watching a band rise to fame is a pretty extraordinary thing to witness. In the case of Arcade Fire, they have risen from the orchestral-indie band pulling from lo-fi aesthetics to their ability to be grand through delicate and moving melodies.

Albums 2013

Again, I could've easily included about thirty albums on this list, but I wanted to keep it short. If you liked/hated my songs list, you'll probably loathe/love this one too. Thanks for reading!

Arcade Fire - "Afterlife"

After dropping by Bushwick, Brooklyn for some secretive performances this past weekend as The Reflektors, Arcade Fire continue their mysteriously wonderful marketing campaign with the lyric video for "Afterlife". The track continues with the disco-tinged aspects that we heard on lead single "Reflektor" while still feeling like classic Arcade Fire. The album drops next week. Scream and shout!

Arcade Fire - "Reflektor"

It'll be interesting to see if 2013 goes down as the year the marketing campaign became as relevant as the album itself. From Vampire Weekend posting ads in the New York Times, to Daft Punk airing commercials during SNL, to Boards of Canada releasing mysterious 12"s, to Kanye West playing videos on buildings around the world, to Arcade Fire posting images on Instagram, the traditional album release has seen a total revamp. After months of teases, Arcade Fire have finally shared the lead single, "Reflektor", from their highly anticipated album of the same name. But instead of just releasing the single, the band released not one, but two videos. Check out one directed by Anton Corbjin above and head here to see the amazing interactive video. Aside from all the crazyness that led us to this point, the song (which was produced by James Murphy and feature vocals from David Bowie!!) is actually really, really good.

OMG!NYC - 5 Years Later

Celebrating the first 5 years of OMG!NYC, I take a look back at the things that shaped the way I listen to music and how my taste and interests have changed over the past five years.

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When I began writing this blog five years ago, the goal was to update people on life in New York and the primary focus was going to be on concerts I attended. Over the course of time, the focus has shifted from general events mostly surrounding music to a full functioning music journal. I'll begin this retrospective with a list of five shows I saw here in New York that had a profound impact on me. All of these performances were truly unique to New York and my time spent here over the past five years.

01. Arcade Fire | Judson Memorial Church | February 14, 2007

A little less than a month before Arcade Fire released their highly anticipated sophomore release Neon Bible, the Canadian baroque-pop outfit set out on a week long stand of shows at the intimate Judson Memorial Church on the southern tip of Washington Square Park. For five consecutive nights, the rising stars powered through hits from their already classic debut Funeral and previewed material from their forth-coming record. Since then, I've caught the band twice and at much larger settings (Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden) and while the band has been just as impressive at all locations, no performance will ever be as special and as cherished as this one. Only feet from the stage, it was the opportunity of a life time to see these now titans perform in a space of which others could only dream.

02. My Bloody Valentine | Roseland Ballroom | September 22, 2008

The shoegaze juggernauts returned to the U.S. for their first non-festival performance in nearly fifteen years and I still have no words. The sheer volume unleashed by the quintet was legendary when they split in the nineties and the memories held up. For over an hour the noise pioneers shredded through cuts from their classic debut Isn't Anything and their groundbreaking masterpiece Loveless. Without hesitating, the band's opening chords ripped through the suggested ear plugs and the intensity never let up eventually culminating in the now monumental live rendition of "You Made Me Realise" which to this day leaves me wondering if my ears will ever be the same again.

03. Fever Ray | Webster Hall | September 28, 2009

I cannot remember another show that went off as flawlessly as when I saw Fever Ray. Making her solo U.S. debut, I had some doubts about the show merely due to the fact that it would occur in my least favorite venue in the entire city. However, when I have that thought now I am simply embarrassed. Fever Ray arrived amongst a haze of fog and donning an elaborate headdress that would make Bjork jealous. Her incredible voice melted the crowed and showed a true stage presence to which I have never seen matched. Her power on stage was unlike anything I have ever experienced and her ability to wield attention proved that even as a solo artist, her performances will leave people begging for a chance to see her live for years to come.

04. Phoenix (feat. Daft Punk) | Madison Square Garden | October 20, 2010

I do not know if there is anything left to be said about this show. After a near perfect set which set Phoenix atop the highest pedestal, it seemed as if the Frenchmen could not get any bigger here in the U.S. And then they invited Daft Punk to join them for an encore. Part of me still cannot believe they pulled off the surprise; suddenly the arena went dark... and then Daft Punk rose from the beyond. Part of me still cannot believe that I was actually there to see it happen in all of the glory. This was a truly special moment that in and of itself could be the sole post devoted to the past five years of this blog. It was as special of a moment as there could have been for me personally and I'm not sure if anything will ever be able to top it.

05. LCD Soundsystem | Terminal 5 | March 31, 2011

At the beginning of 2011, James Murphy threw in the towel for his short-lived but utterly fantastic band. For the final outing, his bandmates joined him for four consecutive nights of over the top (and over three hours!) renditions of practically every song one could hope the band to play. The final event was a spectacle at Madison Square Garden, but I caught his last 'smaller' performance at Terminal 5. The set was broken down into three sets (encore not included) which included everything from b-sides, 45:33 in it's entirety, and almost every other amazing LCD song. It was an emotional night as many of us would never hear these songs played live again (some had tickets to the final MSG performance) but in more ways it was a ceremony celebrating an amazing catalog of songs played with more heart than ever before.

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The following songs left big impressions on me when they first came out for one reason or another and I still enjoy it when they come on the playlist. None of them were my favorite songs the year they were released and I believe all of them still fall just short, but they each still resonate with the same freshness as the first time they blasted through my speakers.

01. The Rapture | "Whoo! Alright, Yeah... Uh Huh"

I saw the Rapture perform a free show at the Apple Store in SoHo during my first month in New York. At the show, I was invited to be in the band's video for their new single "Whoo! Alright, Yeah... Uh Huh". For obvious reasons, I will always think fondly of this song and play at whatever party I can. Five years later, it still gets people on the dance floor and it still makes me think that New York is full of awesome surprises and the chance to be in a music video is right around the corner.

02. Crystal Castles vs. HEALTH | "Crimewave"

This song came at the height of mash-ups, but it was unlike anything else at the time.It was elctro, punk, noise, and dance all at once. Just like the Rapture, this song still gets people on the floor, but it is still as innovative as it was in 2007. Crystal Castles have since gained a higher fame and HEALTH (unfortunately as they have many other solid jams) might still be best known for this collaboration. Indie rock has not seen a meeting quite like this since the song's release and it does not seem likely that something of this nature will rise to this height any time soon.

03. Portishead | "Machine Gun"

Perhaps living in London when Portishead released their stunning Third is the reason I love that album so much, but more likely it is because of brilliant songs like "Machine Gun". Loud music had been in my collection since middle school, but it wasn't until this song that I realized music could be loud and aggressive without being hardcore. After this song blew my mind, I went back and listened to Liars, No Age, and Deerhunter and really began to digest noise music. Not only did this solidify Portishead as one of my favorite acts, but it opened my ears more so than anything else in the past five years.

04. Dirty Projectors | "Stillness is the Move"

I saw Dirty Projectors in 2008 and just did not understand what was happening on stage. A year later I heard this song and everything clicked. Well... everything clicked in the sense that everyone on this track sounds like they were playing a different song, but that was just it. It was so different (and still is) from almost anything else being released it had it's own place in time. I still have not heard a song that echos any part of this jam because it is so forward thinking that people are still trying to break it down enough to make their own imitations.

05. Deerhunter | "Helicopter"

There have been few artists as productive as Bradford Cox in recent years and none have reinvented themselves in so many ways. The studio masterpiece that is Halcyon Digest is another example of the ways that Bradford is a true audiophile taking each album to a new creative level. Perhaps the best part about the gorgeous guitar sweeps on "Helicopter" is how out of place it would sound on any other Deerhunter record, yet it is the backbone of their latest album. It is delicate, grandiose, and accessible and it still sounds like Deerhunter. Their song writing capabilities are so unique that every album is in another direction and still sounds like no one else.

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I would like to thank anyone who takes the time to read this blog whenever I post. It really means a lot to me. I've been unbelievably fortunate to be featured on some of my favorite sites and have accomplished more than I ever thought possible with a simple blog. I hope to keep posting my favorite new music, reviewing amazing performances, and contributing to year end lists. Here is to another five years of OMGNYC and many more after that.

Keep it scene in the city.

omgnyc's albums 2010

2010 seems to have been one of the best years for music in recent memory. This year I had a particularly tough time choosing which albums would make my top ten and I easily could have extended the list to top twenty, but I figure it defeats the purpose if I just talk about everyone album I loved this year. These are my favorite albums of 2010.

01. Beach House | Teen Dream
This may seem like an odd choice for album of the year, however the more I listened to this album the more it just made sense. More than any other album this year, I was constantly finding myself coming back to this one. When it came out last winter, it's sultry sound made for the perfect winter jam. Then again in the spring I saw the band and the album was on constant rotation. By summertime, many of the tracks were staples on roof top party play lists, and finally by the fall there was no escape. More then anything, this album was a great comfort album for the entire year. While at first it seemed like another great Beach House record, it didn't take long for it to sink in as their best work to date. Everything really came together on this album. Victoria's vocals sound rich and powerful. Alex's guitar is the biggest I have heard and finally the percussion added the extra layer missing from their previous work. This is the only album from this year that I listen to as much now as I did the second the download finished.

02. LCD Soundsystem | This Is Happening
The one in which James Murphy writes the best record never made by Bowie and Eno. For what he claims to be the last LCD album, James Murphy left nothing to chance. The opening "Dance Yrself Clean" lingers briefly before kicking into a jam that last throughout the entire album. From the disco drum beats, to the funky bass lines, to the fuzzy guitars, this album takes the flashy sounds of Sounds of Silver and turns them into sparkling dance-punk jams that sound just as solid as any krautrock jam that came out of Berlin. Despite the fact that "Drunk Girls" might have been the funnest song of the year, "All I Want" may be the finest tribute to Bowie that has ever been recorded as that obnoxiously loud sliding guitar wails away for nearly seven minutes. Murphy has done a perfect job of recreating 70s nostalgia and bringing it to modern music without losing an ounce of freshness.

03. Deerhunter | Halcyon Digest
To call a Deerhunter album light would just simply be wrong. However when I first listened to Halycon Digest, I thought my speakers were broken. There was no punching song like "Nothing Ever Happened" and that shoegaze tag no longer seemed appropriate. After repeated listens it became clear that this album was still drowned in noise, however this band has grown up. The harshness has been refined to elegance and where previous albums were covered in noise collages, Halcyon Digest is powered by stunning production. It may even be the case that Deerhunter has tricked an audience into believing this is their most accessible work to date, however tracks like "Desire Lines" and the epic closer "He Would've Laughed" just go to show that this band still have plenty of tricks up their sleeves and they can never be taken for granted.

04. Kanye West | My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
At the end of 2009, Kanye was celebrity enemy number 1. His ego seemed to have finally got the best of him. Then in June the legend returned. "Power" was a statement that Kanye was back ready to regain his place at the top. No more auto-tunned bullshit, just the rap attack over heavy samples that gave him a name in the first place. Over the course of the summer, his GOOD Friday singles built the anticipation to what would become My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Nicki Manaj stole the show with her verse on "Monster" and when "Runaway" was debuted at the VMAs it was clear; Kanye was unstoppable. It is the kind of comeback that doesn't seem possible, then again that appears to be the way Kanye does everything. When people think it's too much he pushed it the extra step. This time everything paid off.

05. Joanna Newsom | Have One On Me
This was the record that gave me the most trouble at the beginning, yet had the biggest payoff. The daunting 18-tracks and over two hours were so intimidating that it took me almost two weeks to figure out how to approach this album. However when I finally dove in, I never wanted this record to end. After presenting the flawless Ys I wondered what Joanna would be able to produce next. Have One On Me was the perfect response. Epicly long tracks have become a Newsom staple and they do not disappoint here as proven by the title track, "Go Long" and the stunning "Good Intentions Paving Company". The glorious sounds that only Newsom can create come to life on this album in perhaps the most grandiose forms she has ever displayed.

06. Arcade Fire | The Suburbs
This was the album I listened to more than anything else all year. It was also the album that hit closest to home. Arcade Fire have continued to release amazing albums that have yet to disappoint. After headling two nights at Madison Square Garden, it really seems as if these Canadians have the indie world at the palm of their hands and it is only a matter of time before everyone else figures out. This is surely their longest album to date and the first to include tracks that I would consider skipping, however the grand statements made on "Rococo" "Half Light II" "We Used to Wait" and "Sprawl II" it makes me reconsider any reason I have for not liking something on this album. I can't recall an album before this one that I have been able to relate to in so many ways and I really hope it takes a while before this begins to fade.


07. Big Boi | Sir Lucious Left Foot The Son of Chico Dusty
Above anything else, this album wins best album name of the year (and possibly ever). It has often been said that Andre 3000 is the core member of the duo Outkast, however I challenge anyone to listen to this album and keep that opinion. After years of delay and record label disputes, Sir Lucious Left Foot... finally saw the light of day this summer. The funky southern sounds and dirty basslines are met with aggressive flow that only Big Boi can deliver and sound as fresh as any hip hop actually written in the past twelve months. The guest list can sometimes be questionable (Vonnegut?) but at other times almost majestic (Janelle Monae). This is southern hip hop at its finest. 1990s sounding tough R&B is paired with ferocious beats that leave only one thing to mind: What will Andre 3000 do next?

08. No Age | Everything In Between
2010's biggest sleeper album. After much anticipation to the follow-up of 2008's raucous Nouns, it seemed that after Everything In Between was released people simply forgot to talk about it. This album saw No Age make the progression to more straightforward rock songs and less of the tonal sounds of Nouns. There are less peaks and valleys on this album as the duo blended the sporadic looping drones and aggressive guitars into more of one distinguished sound. Randall's guitar shreds just as harshly on this record as anything he has done before, with the obvious nods to J Mascis and Thurston Moore, and established No Age as the supreme noise rock band of our time.

09. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti | Before Today
Ariel Pink made the biggest shift in musical direction this year, as he left behind his avant guard noise jams for a stab at a psych-pop gem. While "Round and Round" seems to be the clear focus on the album, each track seems just as poppy as the last and any of them could fit in perfectly on a New Year's playlist. The vocal range on many of the tracks is impressive to say the least and the melodies suggest that Ariel could become a pop visionary if he ever desired to make anything inspired by soft rock songs of the 70s. Every time I go back to listen to this album I forget how much of it I remember and how much of it seems like I'm hearing for the first time. A true sign of perfection; instantly recognizable and forgetful the second it is over.

10. Sleigh Bells | Treats
I think of all the albums on this list, this may be the one that made it at the last second. It barely beat out others that I gave some serious consideration, but in the end just missed the cut. From the beginning blasts of "Tell 'Em" this album screams fun. It became my summer jam as I listened to it on what seemed like endless subway rides through the city all summer. Yet no matter how hot it felt, this album was hotter. Every song is an instant party with the exception of stand alone slow jam "Rill Rill" and the album never lets up. As soon as the acoustic guitar loop fades, it goes right back to the high energy ballistic audio assault. And it never seems to end.

New Arcade Fire Soon!

The end of school has once again resulted in a lack of posts. However Arcade Fire seem to understand as they wish "good luck with finals" in a recent post stating that their new single will be here in the coming weeks!

I had a very busy past week here in New York. It started Tuesday night when Jen and I saw A Moon For the Misbegotten. The show was amazing. Kevin Spacey was excellent as was Colm Meany. However Eve Best stole the show. The set and lighting was excellent as well and if you have the chance to see it before it closes I highly suggest you go see it. It closes sometime in June and is something you should not miss. Eugene O'Neil is one of the greatest American playwrites and the script alone is worth reading. However, this all-star cast brings the show to life and really is outstanding.

On Wednesday Margot and I went to the first show in the Highline Festival, Arcade Fire at Radio City Music Hall. Now I saw this band back in February when they took up a residency at the Judson Memorial Church and I think they may have been even better this past week. Now that Neon Bible has officially been released the band plays the album to perfection live. The songs were just unreal and they had so much energy. If you don't have this album you better get it becuase it is one of the best of the year. The band just exploded during the performance and they were not able to hold back from running into the crowd to join in on all the fun. This band is going to be the next big thing and they deserve it more than anyone. Win Butler yelled to the crowd at one point "there are about 4 security guards in this place everyone run down front to dance. what are they going to do?" Well turns out they'll kick you out. Security had a hard time controlling some of the rowdy hipsters and had to escort them out. While Neon Bible sounds amazing live the old songs really get the crowd going. "Power Out" into "Rebellion (Lies)" was just electrifying and rocked the building. During the final song, "Walke Up," the upper balcony began to shake and I had to hold on because I couldn't stand without falling over. Truely an amazing show. Read reviews here and here.

On Friday I went to Brooklyn to see The Mountain Goats re-open the SoundFix cafe. The place was pretty small and absolutely packed. The room was unbelievably warm and impossible to move through, but it was a free show so I couldn't say no. The set was comprised of mostly old and rare songs so I didn't know too much, but it was a good time none the less. Some of the songs he played were played live for the first time so that was really cool and afterwards whhile he was making his way through the crowd I told him "good show" and he repied with "really? did you enjoy it? good!" So that's always a good thing when artists get back to their fans.

Hot Tracks:

1. Arctic Monkeys - "This House Is A Circus." These guys are back with a great new album just as loud as their first. They keep the enrgy high and people on the dance floor.
2. The National - "Start A War." They just put out an excellent new album and opened for Arcade Fire this past week. The singer sounds a little like Morrissey and the violinist can really tear it up onstage.

Keep it scene in the city.

The Bonnaroo festival has announced it's initial artist line-up for this year's festival and so far so good. Artisits include: The Police, Tool, Widespread Panic, The White Stripes, The Flaming Lips, Wilco, Ben Harper, and many many more. This year's festival will take place on June 14-17 in Manchester Tennessee. Festival organizers bought the farm so one should expect amazing improvements to an already amazing site. (Source)

Al Gore is teaming up with Live-8 organizers and putting together an event he calls Live Earth. The event will take place on 7/7/07 and will feature musical artists playing on all seven continents. The event is designed to raise awareness to what is happening in the environment. While the musical line-up doesn't look too great the idea is a good one and hopefully the message will come across.

Chris Cornell has announced that he has quit the supergroup Audioslave due to "musical differences." He is releasing his solo album later this year. Hopefully this means that the other three members of the group can spend more time rehearsing with Rage Against the Machine and launch a tour after Coachella. Cornell wishes the best of luck to his former band mates. (Source)

Indie-rock superstars Arcade Fire are in the midst of a five day residency in New York City. The band has and will be playing five shows at Judson Memorial Church right on the south side of Washington Square Park. Tickets for theses shows went onsale earlier in the year and sold-out in fifteen minutes. However after hearing that approximately sixty tickets were sold at the door the first night on a first-come first-served basis I figured I would try my luck. On Valentine's Day I made my way to the church at around 7:00 and braved the snow and cold weather as I waited in line to try out my luck. At 8:00 I was informed by security that I was too far back in line and there would be no room for me inside the venue. I decided to wait anyway just incase somehow I might get inside. After about ten minutes a woman came up to the line and asked if anyone was alone. I said yes and she informed me that she had anextra ticket and wondered if I would like to go with her. Of course I said yes and we made our way up to the door and she got us in, FOR FREE. Thank you Melanie for the best Valentine's Day gift ever. So after scoring the hardest ticket to get in the city I waited for about an hour before the band took the stage. They were great, mostly played songs from Neon Bible which sounds so good live. They officially brought the house down with "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" into "Rebellion (Lies)." If you ever get the chance to see this band live I highly reccommend it, although tickets will be nearly impossible to get. In attendance for the show was Drew Barrymore, Andy Samberg (the badn will play SNL on 2/24), and Strokes bassist Nikolai Fraiture. (Review)

Neon Bible (out March 6)

Keep it scene in the city!