Details
Venue: The Rock Shop
Age: 18+
Tickets: $ 12 ADVANCED / $12 DAY OF SHOW

4:30 THE HAIRS (NYC)

Brooklyn’s the Hairs remind me of something you’d find on a Blue Tongue cassette in the mid ’90s. Or, to update the reference — Knight School-er Kevin Alvir’s brief home-recorded pop songs sound like a twee Wavves, a less punked-up but still snotty Cloud Nothings … or to go back again, an extremely polite Happy Flowers. The self-penned bio helps, too: “The Hairs is a pop band led by Kevin (words & gtr). Alex comes around and plays some bass sometimes. The Hairs is cool.” Alex being Alex Naidus of Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, another touchstone, but this stuff is sillier, as you’ll note before listening via playfully naive song titles like “Duh! x 12,” “Vikings, Pirates, & Dudes,” “Houseplant Song,” or this one, “Balding College Girls.” – Stereogum

http://thehairs.bandcamp.com/

http://www.myspace.com/thehairsmakemusic

5:15 KIDS ON A CRIME SPREE (CA)

“[NYC Popfest] also marks the NYC debut of Kids on a Crime Spree, the band from Mario Hernandez, formerly of Ciao Bella and From Bubblegum to Sky (who played Popfest in ’08). Kids’ debut album, We Love You So Bad, is out May 31 on Slumberland (a word I have typed more than “indiepop” in this post) and is up there with my favorite things Mario has done over the last 20 years. ’60s melodies meet bubblegum vocals in a smoky haze of feedback, distortion and handclaps. It’s real good.” – Bill Pearis

Download “Sweet Tooth” (MP3)

http://www.myspace.com/kidsonacrimespree

6:00 PERSIAN RUGS (CANADA)

Persian Rugs bring two known faces, Ian and Ali, who used to be in perhaps the best Canadian indiepop band of these times: The Airfields. This is their new project and they don’t disappoint! Joining them are Matt on drums and Kaye on vocals. Their shiny and luminous guitars over dreamy girl vocals recall the halcyon days of indiepop, of obscure acts like Girl of My Best Friend or Friends of the Family, or even some bright moments of Sarah Records. Bouncy and catchy, “Always All” is already a favorite single this year. Just pure pop bliss!! Can’t miss it.

Download “Always All” (MP3)

http://www.facebook.com/persianrugsmusic

6:45 SILVER SWANS (CA)

Summer Fiction is new indie band from Philadelphia led by singer/songwriter Bill Ricchini. The songs on the self-titled debut record were written to flow into one another and feel of a certain whole piece of work, yet ranging stylistically from late 60s baroque pop to torch songs to folk rock ballads to old time waltzes to country duets. The album loosely follows a young girl’s coming of age but reads like the journal entries of the guys who fall for her throughout her life.  And yes, there are more than a few lyrical references to make-up, lipstick and mascara. We’ll let you interpret that for yourself.

Downlaod “Secrets” (MP3)

http://www.myspace.com/silverswansofficial

http://www.facebook.com/silverswans

7:30 PROCEDURE CLUB (CT)

The Procedure Club is a collaborative “bedroom-pop” project founded by Andrea and Polish emigré Adam Malec in New Haven, Connecticut in 2008. The two began recording as a natural progression from their boredom with living in poverty in New Haven, sharing musical tastes in shoegaze and pop bands of the 80s and 90s, such as Black Tambourine, and The Jesus and Mary Chain, as well as a common admiration for Baroque artists such as Purcell and Bach. Out of this god-forsaken alliance comes Procedure Club, in which Adam and Andrea have combined melodic song structures with heavily reverbed vocals, stuttering mechanical drum beats, dirty bass, synths, and alternately washed-out and jangly guitars.

Download “Feel Sorry For Me” (MP3)

http://www.myspace.com/procedureclub

8:15 PANDA RIOT (IL)

Brian Cook and Rebecca Scott formed Panda Riot while creating a soundtrack for a documentary about marine biology, they decided to form a band based on the sound inspired by the underwater and airplane shots in the documentary. They describe themselves as having a “blissful, swirl-pop, sing-along sonar aesthetic.”

Download “Motown Glass” (MP3)

http://www.pandariot.com/handmade/main.html

9:00 THE MOTIFS (AUSTRALIA)

The Motifs is an indiepop band fronted by Alexis H, from Melbourne, Australia. They make perfectly understated pop songs with guitars, glockenspiels, Casiotone keyboards and handclaps.

Download “Backwards (CT 370 Mix)” (MP3)

http://www.myspace.com/themotifs

9:45 FAN MODINE (NC)

Fan Modine is the work of artist Gordon Zacharias.

Gordon has also lent his talents to bluegrass outfit Jim and Jennie, the New Orleans duo Hercules, the Essex Green and Joe Pernice for his Big Tobacco effort.

Upon first arriving in New York, Gordon released “Slow Road to Tiny Empire” as a limited edition 12” vinyl album on his own Phovsho label, selling store to store to independents such as Other Music and Etherea. Soon after Rykodisc re-released “Slow Road to Tiny Empire” on compact disc worldwide – prompting Magnet to declare Gordon “an elliptical and underrated genius. ” CMJ concurred hailing “Slow Road” as “the sort of stuff from which pixie dust is made.”

Download “Julu Road” (MP3)

http://fanmodine.com

Details
Venue: Santo’s Party House (Downstairs)
Age: 18+
Tickets: $ 10 ADVANCED / $12 DAY OF SHOW

7:15 CUFFS (MA)

CUFFS is a group from Cambridge, MA comprised of 2/3 of the band Pants Yell, a member of Reports and the blonde kid from Big Troubles.

Download “Albert Kroft (demo)” (MP3)

http://www.myspace.com/cuffsband

http://cuffsband.tumblr.com/

http://cuffs.bandcamp.com/

8:00 CHALK & NUMBERS (NYC)

Chalk and Numbers is an indie pop duo consisting of Sable Yong (of Year of the Tiger) and Andrew Pierce (of Nouvellas and The New Rags) from Brooklyn, NY. They  will make their debut live performance at NYC Popfest.

Their debut EP is downloadable for free from
www.chalkandnumbers.bandcamp.com

Download “I Really Wanna Work This Outl” (MP3)

http://www.myspace.com/chalkandnumbers

http://chalkandnumbers.bandcamp.com/

8:45 THE SUNNY STREET (UK)

When they’re not playing together as Electrophonvintage, Delphine, Remi, Christos and Ian moonlight as The Sunny Street, sketching gorgeous love letters in the atmospheric hinterland between indiepop and dreampop.

“They hurt you everyday + Rainy Hearts EP”, was released in January on Swedish label Lavender Record and, is composed of 12 tiny adorable pop moments, designed in a more introspective, synthetic, pastoral and emotional manner, reminiscent of latest Bobby Wratten essays, wrapping you up instantly in a melancholic mood.

Download “College” (MP3)

http://thesunnystreet.tumblr.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Sunny-Street/117249588337275

9:30 SUMMER FICTION (PA)

Summer Fiction is new indie band from Philadelphia led by singer/songwriter Bill Ricchini. The songs on the self-titled debut record were written to flow into one another and feel of a certain whole piece of work, yet ranging stylistically from late 60s baroque pop to torch songs to folk rock ballads to old time waltzes to country duets. The album loosely follows a young girl’s coming of age but reads like the journal entries of the guys who fall for her throughout her life.  And yes, there are more than a few lyrical references to make-up, lipstick and mascara. We’ll let you interpret that for yourself.

Downlaod “Throw Your Arms Around Me” (MP3)

http://www.summerfiction.com/

http://summerfiction.bandcamp.com

10:15 DARREN HANLON (AUSTRALIA)

Darren Hanlon is an Australian singer/songwriter who plays folk-rock and folk-pop.

Before becoming a solo artist in 1999, he was a member of The Simpletons, and contributed backing guitar and keyboards for The Lucksmiths, The Deerhunters, and Mick Thomas.

Darren is known for his engagement with his audiences, through his down-to-earth storytelling at live gigs as well as his often charming lyrics.

Download “All These Things” (MP3)

http://www.darrenhanlon.com

11:00 DAYS (SWEDEN)

Days is a Swedish pop-group from Gothenburg with music performed in tender perfection. The crystal-clear sound and jangly guitars in hypnotizing figures, make them a band very hard to resist. This will be their first ever US show.

Download “Downhill” (MP3)

http://www.myspace.com/dayswe

Details
Venue: Spike Hill
Age: 21+
FREE

1:45 BALÚN (NYC / PUERTO RICO)

Brought together by their love of simple melodies, 16mm films, cartoon doodles, classical and folk instruments, and experimental pop music, Balún was formed in 2002 in San Juan, Puerto Rico by José Olivares and Angélica Negrón. After 2004 Andrés Fontanez, Noraliz Ruíz and Leonardo Velázquez joined the group. The newest member is Justin Wolf who is the band’s first ever live multi-percussionist.

In 2006 the band released their first album “Something Comes Our Way” (Brilliante records) after years of self-releasing CD-Rs and MP3-EPs on various labels such as Obervatory Online and their own label Sgulp! Discos. The band’s first album received critical acclaim from various media outlets such as Allmusic.com, Textura, The Big Take Over, The Tripwire, and Flavorpill. In 2007 their “EP Collection” was re-released worldwide under Expansion Team.

Download “El Medio Contenido” EP (RAR)

http://www.balunonline.com/

http://www.facebook.com/balunbalun

2:30 GEOFFREY O’CONNOR (of THE CRAYON FIELDS ) (AUSTRALIA)

Geoffrey O’Connor is the lead singer of the Australian indie band THE CRAYON FIELDS. He is currently finishing a follow up album to his debut ‘Liquorice Night’ (released in 2007 under the moniker ‘Sly Hats’). GOC has been lucky enough to play with some favourites such as Little Wings (US), Calvin Johnson (US), Jens Lekman (Swe), Mt Eerie (US), Fleet Foxes (US), Kath Bloom (US), Camera Obscura (SCO) The Brunettes (NZ), Micah P. Hinson (US), New Buffalo and Dear Nora (US). GOC has also performed in America, Japan, Sweden, Denmark, Scotland, England and Germany.

Download “Now and Then” (MP3)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Geoffrey-OConnor/108786136201

  3:15 SMILELOVE (JAPAN)

Smilelove is a 5-piece band from Japan who play irresistible indiepop with a wonderful combination of roughness, cuteness and attitude. 

Stream “Njajaja” (Stream)

http://www.myspace.com/smilelovetherockband

http://smilelove.bandcamp.com/

4:00 TINY FIREFLIES (IL)

Tiny Fireflies are Lisle and Kristine from the Chicago-based indiepop-band Very Truly Yours, or, Lisle from Fireflies and Kristine from Tiny Microphone. Together as a duo, they are Tiny Fireflies.

Download “ePop005 Digital Single” (ZIP)

http://www.facebook.com/tinyfireflies

4:45 THE SPECIFIC HEATS (NYC)

The Specific Heats began in 2004 as the solo project of Mat Patalano and was then fully actualized into a full band. Inspired by Mat’s love for 1960s surf, pop, garage & psych pop as well as 90s/2000s indie pop, their sound developed from a blend of energetic yet melancholy indie pop into the “missing link” between timid and meticulous indie pop & and wild, untamed garage rock that no one had ever asked for.

Stream “Cursed!” (Stream)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Specific-Heats/149617685048295

Details
Venue: Cameo Gallery
Age: 21+
Tickets: $ 12 ADVANCED / $15 DAY OF SHOW

8:00 SODA SHOP (NYC)

Soda Shop is the merging of Drew Diver (Horse Shoes) and Maria Usbeck (Selebrities), a boy and a girl who met by fate at an Embassy concert at NYC Popfes. The Embassy, whom heavily influenced both Drew and Maria’s other acts, brought together a new duo. Though this time, leaving the drum machines and synthesizers behind for a hollow-body guitar and tambourine. Having an obsession with perfection and nostalgia. The simple, classic pop song structure, which houses reverberating melodies under dreamy vocals, remind oneself of better times, when Coca-Cola was only twenty-five cents, the only DJ was a jukebox and all you had to worry about was who you were taking to the prom. They will make their debut live performance at NYC Popfest 2011.

Download “Farewell” (MP3)

http://sodashopmusic.tumblr.com

http://www.myspace.com/sodashop

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Soda-Shop/166673733358735

8:45 CAUCUS (JAPAN)

Caucus is an indie-pop band based in Tokyo, Japan, inspired by The Wannadies, Sonic Youth and of course, The Flippers Guitar. Friendships and happiness gather in their songs, with plenty of shoegaze-inspired feedback. Caucus has been supporting numerous bands in Tokyo; such as The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, The Depreciation Guild, Ulrich Schnauss, and Chapterhouse to name a few. Their first appearance in NYC will be at the 2011 NYC Popfest, and their first 7″ for US release comes out on Cloudberry Records in May.

Download “Wandering Ones” (MP3)

http://www.caucus.jp

  9:30 THE FELT TIPS (UK)

The Felt Tips began to form in late 2005 when Miguel arrived in Glasgow from Spain hoping to start a band and replied to Andrew’s 18 month old ad for band members. Andrew’s childhood friend Neil couldn’t believe his ears and wanted in. The quartet was completed in 2008 with the arrival of Kevin ‘Hug’ Carroll on drums. The band played in and around Glasgow for a while and released 3 singles on indiepop labels Cloudberry and Weepop. More recently, the band released their Scottish Arts Council funded album, Living and Growing, on Plastilina Records. The Felt Tips play melodic indiepop songs about your life – like that time you fumbled around with a condom in your darkened bedroom while trying to keep the mood alive – well The Felt Tips were there watching you.

Download “Garden of Roses” (MP3)

http://www.thefelttips.com

http://www.myspace.com/thefelttips

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Felt-Tips/153417291342911

10:15 BETTY AND THE WEREWOLVES (UK)

Betty and the Werewolves whoop and howl through the night as their sweetly sung melodies collide with glitter-struck punk guitars. Taking inspiration from luminary lycanthropes Virginia Woolf and Grandma Wolf, they sing ditties about falling in love with David Cassidy and strange encounters on night buses, shouting all the while and scuffing up their party shoes.

Download “Should I Go To Glasgow?” (MP3)

http://www.facebook.com/bettyandthewerewolves

http://www.myspace.com/bettyandthewerewolves

http://www.twitter.com/bettyandtheww

11:00 GO SAILOR (US)

Go Sailor was a short-lived Berkeley based twee pop band. Its members included Rose Melberg of Tiger Trap and The Softies (guitar, vocals), Paul Curran of Crimpshrine (bass) and Amy Linton of Henry’s Dress (drums). They recorded three 7” singles and a full-length CD on Lookout! Records in 1996, the latter of which collected the singles tracks and two compilation appearances. After their breakup their songs “Ray of Sunshine” and “Together Forever in Love” were included on the soundtrack to the movie But I’m a Cheerleader.

Download “Last Year” (MP3)

http://www.facebook.com/wearegosailor

http://www.myspace.com/gosailormusic

12:00AM – 4AM MONDO INDIE DANCE PARTY (NYC)

[FREE FOR TICKETHOLDERS]

http://www.mondo-nyc.com

THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART will headline the opening night of NYC Popfest 2011 at Cake Shop!

The show is sold out! But you can get tickets for the other three nights of Popfest here:

http://www.nycpopfest.org

xo

Details
Venue: Cake Shop
Age: 21+
Tickets: $ 12 ADVANCED / $15 DAY OF SHOW

PET MILK (PA)

Pet Milk is a pop band from Philadelphia formed in early 2010, proponents of punklife and kitchen-sink romance. The band also features Herbie Shellenberger from Philly pop band Brown Recluse.

Download “Cherry Outline” (MP3)

http://www.facebook.com/petmilk

http://petmilkpop.tumblr.com

http://petmilk.bandcamp.com

AMIDA (UK)

Manchester based indie pop band who appeared on the reknowned “Kids At The Club” Indiepop compilation from How Does It Feel To Be Loved Records in 2006, and followed it in 2007 with their first full release, the “Arts & Crafts” e.p on the Peruvian label, Plastilina Records. They play short, sharp bursts of summery jangle pop. This will be their first US show.

Download “You’ve Changed, Baby Girl” (MP3)

http://www.myspace.com/amidaband

GOLD-BEARS (GA)

Gold-Bears formed in 2010 when Jeremy Underwood recruited a few friends to play songs he’d stockpiled since the demise of his former band, Plastic Mastery (555 Recordings/Magic Marker Records). The band quickly released a smashing 7” on Magic Marker Records, recalling the immediacy and urgency of Boyracer or The Wedding Present melding with the pop sensibilities of Slumberland contemporaries like Summer Cats and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. They expanded their sound a bit on their next release ( a 4-song 7” on Miami-based indie pop imprint Cloudberry Records) by stripping away some of the fuzz on one song and adding drone elements a la the Microphones to another while still maintaining their indie punk roots. The band will have new music coming soon through Slumberland Records.

Download “Something To Think About” (MP3)

http://www.myspace.com/thegoldbears

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gold-Bears/271295468380

SEA LIONS (CA)

Sea Lions is a garage pop band from Oxnard, California. Once a one man band run by Adrian Pillado, Sea Lions came together in 2008 as a full group; however, It wasn’t until 2009 did they release there debut 7″ on yay! records. Following this release, was a split 12″ on the same label, as well as a number of cassette releases off of numerous tape labels. Sea Lions recently were added to the roster of veteran pop label, Slumberland Records, and are currently recording they’re debut LP, which is set to be out by the end of the year.

Downlaod “All Right” (MP3)

http://www.facebook.com/sealionsok

http://www.myspace.com/myspacedotcomslashsealions

DREAM DIARY (NYC)

New York City-based dream pop outfit Dream Diary formed in 2009 around the talents of Jacob Danish Sloan, Madison Farmer, and Alexander Iezzi. The Brooklyn trio’s melodic blend of retro shoegaze, twee pop, and indie rock owes as much to veteran romancers like the Smiths and the Pastels as it does more recent acts like the Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Frightened Rabbit. The band unleashed its first collection of breezy, self-described “cardigan rock,” You Are the Beat, in 2011 on Kanine Records.

Download “Is He Really Mine?” (MP3)

http://www.facebook.com/dreamdiarylovesyou

http://www.myspace.com/dreamdiarylovesyou

Darren Hanlon is an Australian singer/songwriter who plays folk-rock and folk-pop. Before becoming a solo artist in 1999, he was a member of The Simpletons, and contributed backing guitar and keyboards for The Lucksmiths, The Deerhunters, and Mick Thomas. Darren is known for his engagement with his audiences, through his down-to-earth storytelling at live gigs as well as his often charming lyrics.

Darren Hanlon will perform Saturday May 21st at Santos Party House.

http://www.darrenhanlon.com/

BALÚN (NYC / PUERTO RICO)

Brought together by their love of simple melodies, 16mm films, cartoon doodles, and experimental pop music, Balún was formed in 2002 in San Juan, Puerto Rico by José Olivares and Angélica Negrón. Their sound is one of soft and sweet rhythmic sound collages- simple guitar riffs, subdued glitchy beats and sounds of bells, strings and accordion accompanied by Angelica’s child-like dreamy singing. Her singing is reminiscent of the type of quiet, low voiced song a child absent mindedly sings to herself while engrossed in drawing or making a princess’ crown out of field flowers. The product of the soundscapes created by Balún is one of nostalgia, or better yet, daydreaming. It’s music to listen to when you’ve realized you’ve wandered into an unfamiliar place but you don’t mind that you’re lost.

Balún will perform on Saturday, May 21st at Spike Hill.

http://www.balunonline.com

FAN MODINE (NORTH CAROLINA)

Since the release of “Slow Road to Tiny Empire”, Fan Modine’s first album, in 1998, Gordon Zacharias has been known as an artist who mixes buoyant orchestral pop music with oftentimes more gloomy lyrics. This disconcerting combination has won him a cult following among fans of obscure rock bands, and of indie-pop artists in particular. With “Gratitude for the Shipper”, Fan Modine’s first album in six years, his music adds dimensions both lyrically and sonically, drawing inspiration from sources as diverse as French symbolist poet Stephane Mallarmé and Southern pop trailblazer Alex Chilton (“Waiting for Distant Light,” the album’s finale, is a tribute to the recently-deceased songwriter, singer and guitarist)

With expanded instrumentation and higher-fi recording, “Gratitude for the Shipper” sounds consistently bright, melodic and hook-happy. “It’s a struggle to think in terms of albums these days, but I still strive for that,” Zacharias says. “I wanted to make a tight, solid album that holds together like John Cale’s Paris 1919 or Procul Harum’s A Salty Dog do for me, although, I feel like we ended up with something quite different.”

Fan Modine will perform Sunday, May 22nd at The Rock Shop.

http://www.fanmodine.com

So save your energy, and take off work the next day…. because we will keep you dancing into the late hours!

Thursday May 19th @ Cake Shop

SCARED TO DANCE (UK) – Immediately following the show at Cake Shop, Paul Richards presents Scared To Dance — a monthly club night in London playing indiepop, post-punk and new wave.

12am-4am| 21+

http://www.scaredtodance.co.uk/

Friday May 20th @ Cameo

MONDO (NYC) – Immediately following the show at Cameo, Miss Modular, Kevington and Dr Maz present Mondo — NYC’s premier indie dance party – DJs spin a mix of indiepop, britpop, post-punk, swedish pop, girl groups and more!

12am-4am| 21+

http://www.mondo-nyc.com

Saturday May 21st @ Santos Party House

INDIE POP DANCE PARTY featuring Christian L (Labrador Records) and Roque (Cloudberry Records). Immediately following the show at Santo’s Party House!

12am-4am| 21+

http://www.labrador.se

http://www.cloudberryrecords.com

http://www.nycpopfest.org/mp3s/2011/POPFESTMIX2011.zip

Tracklist:

01. Betty & The Werewolves – Paper Thin

02. CAUCUS – Wandering Ones

03. Sea Lions – Good Feelings

04. Pet Milk – Cherry Outlines

05. Soda Shop – Farewell

06. The Sunny Street – College

07. Days – Downhill

08. Persian Rugs – Always All

09. Panda Riot – 16 Seconds

10. Amida – Virtue Was Your Downfall

11. Summer Fiction – Chandeliers

12. Chalk & Numbers – He Knew

13. Dream Diary – Something Tell Her

14. The Felt Tips – Boyfriend Devoted

15. Go Sailor – Together Forever In Love

16. Gold-Bears – Something To Think About

17. CUFFS – Albert Kroft (Demo)

18. The Hairs – Duh x 12

19. Procedure Club – Feel Sorry For Me

20. Shrag – Rabbit Kids

21. The Specific Heats – End of an Error

22. Silver Swans – Secrets

23. Tiny Fireflies – Snow

24. The Motifs – Backwards

1 hr 8min | mix by Dr Maz