LADY GAGA Rocks, But the Grammys Are Dead To Me

Lady Gaga opened the Grammy's this year with the theatricality we have all come to know and love from America's greatest current pop star. The performance - a medley of "Poker Face", "Speechless" and "Your Song" - featured a riveting duet and duel of the keys with Elton John. From there it was downhill the rest of the evening. Don't even get me started about the Best New Artist category. I still can't understand how Silversun Pickups even qualify in this category, but then Zac Brown beats out MGMT and The Ting Tings for the award! My nominees for this category would have looked like this:

The Antlers
Fever Ray
Lady Gaga
Neon Indian
The XX

THE TING TINGS at Bowery Ballroom

The Ting Tings rocked the sold-out Bowery Ballroom in Manhattan last night, blasting through an energetic set of which highlighted nearly every track on their debut album We Started Nothing. Katie White is a fantastic live performer, infusing the show with a blend of f-you attitude, punk-rock ferocity, and an unexpected perfectionism and grace.


The crowd was alive and dancing, most notably on highlights like their current single "Shut Up and Let Me Go", as well as "Great DJ" and the encore of "We Started Nothing". But perhaps the most infectious part of the show was the singalong anthem "That's Not My Name". Throughout the show a group of girls behind me kept shrieking out names like "Stacy" and "Mary-Jo-Lisa"! Needless to say, the energy in the room exploded when they launched into the track.

More photos from The Ting Tings show last night...







-all photos by Scot Bowman

The Ting Ting's also have a brand new video for "Shut Up and Let me Go". Check it out below.

The Ting Tings - Shut Up and Let Me Go (music video)

New MGMT Video for 'Electric Feel'

MGMT's Oracular Spectacular party continues with the second video for "Electric Feel". I think I still prefer the original interactive video over the new version - a visual reminder of how quickly these guys have blown up into a big band. Good for them, but still it's a little sad when your favorite indie secret is no longer indie, nor a secret.

MGMT are doing a free show on July 27th at McCarren Pool in Brooklyn, with The Ting Tings and Black Moth Super Rainbow. You must RSVP to get into the show, though I haven't been able to figure out how. Maybe the RSVP isn't yet in effect.

MGMT - Electric Feel (music video)

THE TING TINGS - We Started Nothing

The Ting Tings are a British duo who are about to make a huge splash in America. Already, their track "Shut Up and Let Me Go" is at #55 on the Billboard Hot 100; a result of its being featured in a new iPod commercial. But, the new official single is for the fantastic "That's Not My Name". A bit pop, but the way this track builds is kind of anthematic. I can't help but love it.

What really sold me was their awesome performance of "That's Not My Name" on Later with Jools Holland. I think it best represents the near brilliance of the track.

The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name (on Later with Jools Holland)


We Started Nothing comes out digitally on May 20th, and physically June 3rd.