The Minor White plays an impromptu Secret Garden

We happened to be backstage at the Black Cat in Washington D.C. when we heard some determined harmonies booming out in the hallway. It was the Williams brothers-Roy and Kevin-from the Minor White, singing a few old favorites in the next room while the band was waiting …

Video: These United States was amazing at Union Hall

A lot of great bands play with their hearts laid out on the stage, and while that much is blatantly obvious in These United States, what's especially true for singer Jesse Elliott, and what I generally find to be rare and unique, is that he seems to stomp all over his …

Upcoming Secret Garden release dates

Here's a schedule of Secret Garden releases coming in the near future. If you're unfamiliar with this ever-changing, magical garden, it is a video series in which I film bands performing a few songs outside the context of a regular show. Along with the schedule you'll …

Team Genius plays the Secret Garden

I'd been wanting to film Team Genius ever since I heard their Hooray EP last year, and thanks to the band's willingness to brave the cold, and drummer Scott Dyer's intention to take his drum kit outdoors, the Winter season of Secret Garden's going just swell. These …

Video: Beirut at Music Hall of Williamsburg

I loved Tune Yard's opening set-but more on that later. Here's Beirut:

After covering Serge Gainsburg at last night's show, Zach Condon of Beirut said, "We played that song more for us than for you, sorry." That's probably why it sounded great, and it's probably why …

Video: I loved Tune Yards at Music Hall of Williamsburg

I'd traded my Animal Collective tickets for tickets to see Beirut at Music Hall of Williamsburg, and as far as live performances with tribal beats and yelps go, I really think I got the better deal out of it. I'm sure people compared Merrill Garbus of Tune Yards (who …

Win 2 tickets to Final Fantasy and Matt Smith at the Kitchen

You know what happens when you have tickets to Beirut and Final Fantasy on the same day (Feb 6), and These United States announces they're also going to play Union Hall on that very day, because everyone obviously loves Feb 6? You cancel all other plans and go see These …

Video: Adam Arcuragi with These United States at IOTA

Download "The Bottom of the River" by Adam Arcuragi | The best time I had during my trip to DC was when These United States played a last minute, unannounced show at IOTA in Arlington, Virginia. It was the eve of President Obama's inauguration, and one of the bands …

Luke Winslow-King plays the Secret Garden

It's a whole new Winter season here at the Secret Garden of 2009! Luke Winslow-King was in town to play slew of shows and was staying in downtown Brooklyn, where there was a gigantic Jay Z billboard looking over us; we were in a warm kitchen way high up, looking out …

Videos: Drink Up Buttercup and The Lisps at The Bell House

I'm pretty sure that Drink Up Buttercup is pretty much everyone's idea of a great live show. The songs were good too, but it didn't matter much what they were playing as long as they were playing, though I was an instant fan of James Harvey, one of the three …

Pianos loved Toronto's Rural Alberta Advantage

Download "Don't Haunt This Place" | I went to Pianos camera-less last night with the intention of being "off duty" but here I am, posting a few re-colored cellphone pictures and a summary. It was The Loom's last residency show at the venue (new material's sounding …

Canada's Torngat returning for Wordless

Video: Suckers are so freaking good! Played The Studio

If the songs Suckers have been playing live are any indication of their upcoming album, and I'm sure they are, then I already have a top favorite of the year. Watching them live at Webster Hall's The Studio, where the acoustics seems to be of the crappy variety that …

A quick share of three fine bands, with images!

Where I take a 10-minute break from everything else and bring you three fine bands. Pictured above is view from my window seat on the way to DC.

"As April Is to May" by Luke Winslow-King

Last Friday I met with Luke Winslow-King and his friends for another installment …

Video: These United States and friends sing for Presidents

Download "Rough and Ready" by These United States | Though I didn't catch the entirety of the Songs for Presidents show, it seemed on the whole that none of these 44 songs were particularly amazing-nothing like Sufjan Steven's "Jacksonville" that alludes to the 7th …

A Mini Movie? 3 1/2 Songs from Sharon Van Etten at Pianos

The last time I saw Sharon Van Etten was when we filmed our very first Secret Garden show in July. Since then she's been been touring and playing an endless number of local shows. When I saw her at Pianos this past Sunday, she had recently returned from Portland after …

These United States! Presidents! Inauguration! Obama! Yay!

Download "Honor Amongst Thieves" | I'm heading out to DC for the inauguration this weekend, for what's sure to be stressful, cheerful, overwhelming, magical times. The Obamas are walking at the parade even!, which scares the shit out of me, but everything will be …

Futurity: a musical by the Lisps, at Zipper Factory

Download "Documents" by The Lisps | Friday night was the premiere of The Lisps' musical, Futurity. By 10pm the bar at the Zipper Factory was filled with people waiting for the doors to the theater to open. Observing the impressive turnout, I overheard a friend of the …

Hurray for the Riff Raff at the Secret Garden

We were supposed to meet somewhere in the woods of Brooklyn, but it was far colder than the day we strolled through the Botanic Garden with These United States. The wind was harsher and entirely inhospitable to the idea of an outdoor performance. Instead, we met at a …

The Good Life

If you've ever taken note of Zooey Deschanel movies you've surely noticed that she often sings. These scenes are usually short, or have been in the pre-She-and-Him era, and having fondly watched these singing movie moments over the years, I've decided to collect them …