You may think “Electric Feel” doesn’t feel like a sports anthem (although I bet they had it cued up at the Grizzly Bear pool party show if Jay-Z stepped in the dodgeball pit). But we’ve secretly always thought it was the perfect accompaniment to those lime-green throwbacks the Hawks wear from time to time. Sure, they could play basketball if they must, but if the game comes to a sudden halt when MGMT comes on and an all-out rave breaks out at Philips Arena.

So we were right there with NBA2K10 when they decided to put MGMT on their soundtrack/game along with Miike Snow, Ratatat, Illinois and some exclusive hip-hop tracks from Izza Kizza and Donnie Bravo. Check the full tracklist here.

On a sidenote, there’s a special feature in the game where you can play as (among other rappers) Kanye West, and his song (”Amazing”) is featured in the game. This means in theory Yeezy could be playing a video game as himself at center court of Madison Square Garden with his own song in the background, which has to be some sort of daydream come true for him.

(Via: 2KSports)

The fourth annual Fun Fun Fun Fest will hit Austin, Texas’ Waterloo Park for two days packed with music on November 7 and 8. The full lineup for the 2009 festival was just announced, and includes Ratatat, Of Montreal, Crystal Castles, Les Savy Fav, Yeasayer, Mission of Burma, Broadcast, Atlas Sound, No Age, Shonen Knife, Fuck Buttons, Times New Viking, Crystal Antlers, Jesus Lizard, Kid Sister, HEALTH, Neon Indian, and Alaska in Winter, among many others. Tickets go on sale today on the Fun Fest’s website, with early bird tickets going for $67.50 and early bird pip tickets selling for $135. The entire lineup is available for your viewing pleasure here.

Two weeks ago, a very cryptic post on the Matador Records blog told us that Interpol lead singer/guitarist/lyricist Paul Banks will be releasing a solo album as Julian Plenti late this summer called Skyscraper (well, official it’s, Julian Plenti Is… Skyscraper). Back then we only had the release date and title, today we have the album artwork and track listing.

The album, set for release on August 4, features contributions from guests including Ratatat’s Mike Stroud, Interpol’s Sam Fogarino, and Charles Burst of The Occasion. Based on the guests mentioned and from the looks of the cover (above), it would seem to be a personal, NY-centric record. Oh, and that party supply stores apparently have the name of his record on a colorful banner in stock.

Banks has written and performed under the Plenti moniker for several years, and while the album was recorded recently, some of the songs were written more than ten years ago. The album is described as having a “cocky, sexy” feel, with tracks that sound similar to Interpol, as well as some straight-ahead guitar rock songs.

Banks will be playing “select shows” this summer in support of the new album.

Julian Plenti Is…Skyscraper track listing
01. Only If You Run
02. Fun That We Have
03. Skyscraper
04. Games for Days
05. Madrid Song
06. No Chance of Survival
07. Unwind
08. Girl on the Sporting News
09. On the Esplanade
10. Fly as You Might
11. H

A good night for photos, especially now that I’ve upgraded (i.e. using the office camera). I like how timeless the dudes from RATATAT look. Bluesy, ragged and rocking. Terminal 5 was tight on photo privileges: photo pass required to take photos for no reason, no flash (I don’t usually use much) and only during the first three songs (not rare, but oh so irritating). Weak. But here’s what I could squeeze out of that first three.

Tussle sounded tight. A bit more tribal than I recall hearing on their records. The band has little as far as stage presence but the crowd seemed to love it.

[Tussle]

How great it must be to live the lives the dudes in RATATAT are living — to what it is you love the most every night. For these guys, what they enjoy doing is pretty clear: soaring and wailing on guitars.

Their style is very defined and confined, but it could have gone on for several hours more with nary a complaint because it’s that good. I had no idea they were this big, though- the place was surprisingly packed with mainstreamers. When did they become a household name? Apparently, not long after “Seventeen Years” got picked up by every DJ in the country in 04 and snowballed. No surprise that that song got by far the biggest audience response, because, yes, it’s still the most bangin. But the whole set assumed an Air-level perfectionism — the place devoured it.

[RATATAT]

Crystal Castles and Vega have found themselves in a battle of the bands, and no, they’re not playing some cheesy winner-takes-all show anytime soon. Instead, the bands have been bickering back and forth since last night, when Vega was kicked off the Crystal Castles’ bill, before the Castles eventually canceled the show altogether last minute, disappointing the thousands of fans that were there to see Alice Glass in all her glory.

Crystal Castles were supposed to play to a sold-out crowd at the Dallas, TX venue the Granada Theatre with Vega last night, but instead left  fans waiting for over two hours for the show to start, only to be  told at 10 p.m. that it was canceled, according to GorillaVsBear. Vega has retaliated against Crystal Castles, and has blamed them for canceling the show  and kicking the band off the bill because of “petty bullshit.” Crystal Castles representatives have retaliated against Alan Palomo of Vega’s comments, saying the band were kicked off the  bill for legitimate reasons after the band had stole an FX-pedal from Crystal Castles. Of course, Palomo denies the statements from the representative, saying it was “fucking bullshit.”

Vega has also blamed Crystal Castles for being Prima Donnas at the Granada Theatre while they were trying to sound check for the show. The band was allegedly unhappy with  the sound of the venue, and wanted to cancel the show instead of  possibly not having enough kick drum. According to the CCs crew, the venue was ill-equipped for the sound Crystal Castles was producing, and they were worried they would have blown the speaker system if they had performed at their normal  standards. The band’s reps have also said the blame should not be put on the band for not playing, but instead on whomever booked the band for the venue.

We’re not sure exactly how much sound is amped out of Crystal Castles’ set, but Ratatat and Animal Collective have both played on the same speakers and  have managed well, so the unparalleled stories between Vega  and Crystal Castles is leaving a sour taste of caddy behaviors pouring all over the internet. The Granada Theatre is refunding the ticket costs to each person who missed out on a what could have been, sweet show.

UPDATE

The folks at the Dallas Observer send us this tip. Granada Theatre owner Mike Schoder has put the blame squarely on the Crystal Castles for the canceled show last night, and defended Vega against the haughty band. Read the e-mail statement released by Mike Schoder below, and head here to read about all of the events as they unfolded.

E-mail from Granada Theatre owner Mike Schoder
Let me start with a definition: 
Pre-madonna: Pre-madonnas cannot help the way they are because their parents spoiled them and they are still developing their personalities. All a pre-madonna has to do is whine and their parents give them what they want.

Here’s how our day went at the Granada on Tue:
Vega (Alan from Ghosthustler) opened for CC in Austin Monday night. At 5pm (3 hrs before doors) we received a call from CC that Vega could not be on the bill.

Vega had been approved by CC in advance for the bill. Early on Tue CC hired a light tech from Austin that is also a DJ  to replace Vega.

CC could have communicated with Vega early in the day before they left Austin.

Vega was at the Granada waiting to soundcheck.

CC would not enter the building until Vega was gone from the premise.

Alan was super cool. No pre-madonna.

We’ve never seen this request. The other co-promoter out of Austin has never seen this kind of request.

CC whining…

CC soundchecked at 6pm instead of at 4pm.

CC didn’t “like the sound of their kickdrum”.

CC insists that “more woofers be brought in”.

Rental places close at 6pm.

It is now 7pm.

Granada has 16 – 18″ sub-woofers and 12 – 15″ sub-woofers. Also 32 – 8″ midranges. Lots of firepower.

Sound check was great.

CC says they would rather cancel the show than possibly not have enough kick drum.

Granada begs that the show goes on.

Granada even offers to dismantle sub woofer stacks and place them in different places in the room.

Granada was willing to do anything to have the show go on.

CC waits until after 10pm to give final cancellation.

The show must go on. Life is all perception. One person sees the day as beautiful, another sees the day as crap.

Why would any band crap on their fans like this?

Insecurity is a cancer. Love yourself. Love your sound guy and the system at the club you are playing.

Play the show. Then listen to your fans. If you don’t like the sound at a club never go back to the club.

We’ve had every big band imaginable in every genre imaginable and had amazing shows.

Nobody has complained about our sound. This is totally out of left field. 

The sound at Granada is amazing…and would have been if CC would have just got on stage and played.

Today, Granada is refunding ticket cost and entire service charge to each patron. No one cares for live music more than we do. We’ve put together an amazing room, staff and sound system.

We’ll see you soon fellow music fans.
Mike Schoder and all the Staff at Granada.