annex

Casiokids' second single for Moshi Moshi is out today and both sides are great. Instrumental "Fot I Hose" has a big fat synth bass hook that is hard to get out of your head (and has a hilarious video), but I think I prefer the flip, "Verdens Storste Land," probably because it was the absolute highlight of their great CMJ show at Cake Shop.

MP3: Casiokids - Verdens Storste Land (buy it from Moshi Moshi)

The Norwegians are attacking SXSW with eight performances in four days, plus two shows in NYC beforehand. I'll definitely be at the Bell House on March 16, get tickets now.

Mar 16 Bell House / Øya festival showcase w/the New Wine New York City (US)

Mar 17 the Annex New York (US), New York

Mar 18 SXSW / Hype machine / Blog fresh party @ peckerheads Austin (US), Texas

Mar 18 SXSW / Moshi Moshi / Club 1808 Austin (US), Texas

Mar 19 SXSW / Moshi Moshi / The Red House Pizzeria Austin (US), Texas

Mar 19 SXSW / Øya festival showcase @ the music gym Austin (US), Texas

Mar 20 SXSW / Green owl showcase @ tba Austin, Texas

Mar 20 SXSW / Big stereo showcase @ Canvas bar & gallery Austin, Texas

Mar 21 SXSW / Moshi Moshi / Lamberts Austin (US), Texas

Mar 21 SXSW / SESAC day stage conference centre Austin (US), Texas

And here's the video to "Fot I Hose"

And live footage of "Verdens Storste Land" I shot from CMJ:

Whoa, the Wombats got really popular. Too popular to be at the Annex, where they played to a 3/4 filled room back in August. I’d venture to say the crowd was mostly Brits, mostly drunk out of their St. Patrick’s Day minds, and mostly knew all the words to every song. It’s pretty easy to do so with the shout-along choruses of UK hits like "Kill the Director," "Let’s Dance to Joy Division" and "Lost in the Post."

Ducking out of the Mercury Lounge for a "smoke break" after El Guincho’s set, I scrambled over to the Annex to find it packed to the gills, to the point where you literally had to fight your way through the crowd. Fun show, especially with this ready-for-it audience, but I think maybe the songs are wearing on me after hearing most of them for the last two years. It was so hot in there I couldn’t take it anymore and left after six songs, heading back to Mercury for Cut Copy, and the only way people would let me past them was to shout "I need to get past to leave the club!"

The Wombats seemed to be everywhere at SXSW, playing to similarly psyched audiences and word on the street is they just signed to Roadrunner, who will hopefully be putting out their official debut on these shores as soon as possible. There’s no doubt in my mind these guys could fill Bowery next time… or maybe somewhere bigger.

MP3: The Wombats – Moving to New York (buy it)

Casiokids: New Single, Coming to NYC, SXSW

The Wombats | The Annex | 3.17.2008