A Saratoga-based local act has been once again name-checked and singled out by national media.

Phantogram, who have had a huge 2011 thus far with an appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and being regularly featured on MTV’s American adaptation of “Skins,” [...]]]>

A Saratoga-based local act has been once again name-checked and singled out by national media.

Phantogram, who have had a huge 2011 thus far with an appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and being regularly featured on MTV’s American adaptation of “Skins,” have been name-dropped by NPR.

Check out the full list

Phantogram is one of many local artists playing the four-day SXSW festival in Austin, which goes down March 11th through the 20th.

For more information, check out the SXSW website..

TONIGHT: it’s the 4th anniversary of Troy Night Out! Join Elizabeth Young and the Downtown BID (sounds like a Motown Group) along with other city officials in Monument Square at 6:00pm for a special ceremony, then engage in all the great offerings of the city! Go to the [...]]]> Blogorama will be posted tomorrow.

TONIGHT: it’s the 4th anniversary of Troy Night Out! Join Elizabeth Young and the Downtown BID (sounds like a Motown Group) along with other city officials in Monument Square at 6:00pm for a special ceremony, then engage in all the great offerings of the city! Go to the official website for a full listing.

TOMORROW: UFC 127 showing live at Buffalo Wild Wings in Clifton Park. Join myself and the fine folks at Albany Alive for the event, with prelims at 9:00pm and the event itself kicking off at 10:00pm. Get there early to ensure a seat!

NEXT WEEK: We have our first ever giveaway, and it’s to a show that I guarantee will be one of the most sought-after tickets of the year.

In the meantime, check out the video below of Bell Biv Devoe’s appearance on NBC’s “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” Of course they performed “Poison.” Did you expect any less? Of course, Fallon’s house band The Roots provided back-up. It was glorious.

The trend continues with a Bel Biv [...]]]> You can never trust a big butt and a smile, but you can trust the producers of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to bring you epic awesomeness on the music end of things.

The trend continues with a Bel Biv Devoe Reunion on tonight’s show.

BELL. BIV. DEVOE.

“Me and the crew used to do ‘er.”

Check out the wicked effect at the 36 second mark.

A reminder that tonight at Valentine’s is Alta Mira with supporting acts Holly & Evan, Ben Karis-Nix, and the Ashley Pond Band. Downstairs, 8pm, $7. Pretty eccentric mix of stuff.

On Sunday, Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo Banned play with The Loom, Life Among [...]]]> ALTA MIRA & MORE, TONIGHT AT VALENTINE’S

A reminder that tonight at Valentine’s is Alta Mira with supporting acts Holly & Evan, Ben Karis-Nix, and the Ashley Pond Band. Downstairs, 8pm, $7. Pretty eccentric mix of stuff.

On Sunday, Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo Banned play with The Loom, Life Among Trees, and Wailing Walls supporting.

More info at ValentinesAlbany.com.

=====

SEAN ROWE

In 2010, Sean Rowe joined the likes of Tom Waits, Neko Case, and others when he was signed by the world renowned Anti- records. Being lumped in with artists of that caliber can be daunting, but if early reaction to his forthcoming Anti- Records release “Magic” is any indication, he’ll be considered a peer in no time. American Songwriter magazine named Sean their Songwriter of the Week, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Nippertown has more.

Local music fans may have some familiarity with “Magic” – it was put out initially by Collar City Records a couple years back. In a move that speaks to the high quality of our local label, the re-release from Anti- is untouched and unmodified. Kudos to the folks at Collar City.

=====

ODD FUTURE

I honestly hadn’t heard of this group until everyone and their cross-eyed Uncle started posting video of their performance from earlier this week on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Insane, intense, and charismatic, Odd Future made the perfect network debut. For all my hesitations regarding him as a host, Fallon continues to have the best musical acts.

More music & recommendations after the jump…

=====

RADIOHEAD

Radiohead’s latest, “The King of Limbs,” drops on Saturday.

The material that Yorke and company put out is incredibly brave considering their stature; few other acts with that kind of money and notoriety would experiment and challenge listeners and the industry as much as they have.

I admire their gumption, if not the music universally. I enjoyed, but did not love, “In Rainbows.” There were a handful of tracks I really dug, but I didn’t feel any great sense of attachment towards the work as a whole. It also suffered the same fate of everything they’ve put out since “Kid A” – I played the Hell out of it for a few weeks, examined it, then put it on the shelf, not to be touched again.

I’m cautiously optimistic. We’ll see.

=====

FOO FIGHTERS

FINALLY.

I don’t mean “finally, there’s a new Foo Fighters song out.” They’re one of those bands I wouldn’t turn off if they came on the radio – and may even turn up – but not one who I actively sought out or got excited about.

This new direction changes things, and it’s a direction I’ve been wanting Grohl to take the band into for years. It’s clear from the work he’s done both with them and the all-star side project Probot that he carries a deep love and appreciation for metal.

Well, now he’s doing what he really loves, and I freaking love it almost as much as Grohl probably loved doing it. The video gets bonus points for featuring Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister.

Grohl’s made his money and put in the time, so he’s earned the right to start doing the kind of music he really wants to do. That said, it’ll be interesting the see the reaction from the Foo faithful. If the ones I know personally are any indication, they might not respond well to this.

But who cares? It kicks.

=====

WHAT I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO INCESSANTLY THIS WEEK:

• The Smith Westerns – “Dye it Blonde”
• Talib Kweli – “Gutter Rainbows”
• The Decemberists – “The King is Dead”
• Celeste – “More(s) Nee(s)” – this one isn’t a new release, but my brother introduced me to the French ambient hardcore outfit and I think I’m in love. Go download it and their other LPs for free at their website.

Television doesn’t do their live performances justice, and while I like the track they played, there are even better ones on their debut LP “Eyelind Movies,” which you can purchase on iTunes and Amazon.

As a reminder, tonight the band Phantogram will play live on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. So stay up late and/or set your DVRs.

Despite all the buzz around them for several years (going [...]]]>

Image by eastscene via Flickr

Hey folks!

As a reminder, tonight the band Phantogram will play live on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. So stay up late and/or set your DVRs.

Despite all the buzz around them for several years (going back to when they were known as Charlie Everywhere), I just saw the band live for the first time this past Saturday at WEXT‘s Exit Dome 4.

They were amazing. I rushed out and bought their LP towards the end of their set, and fell in love with them.

If Phantogram were a cult, I’d have given them all my money by now.

The duo is originally from Saratoga Springs, and is poised to be launched into the stratosphere with the buzz this performance is sure to generate.

Don’t miss out.

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon airs on NBC (local affiliate WNYT) at 12:38am EST.