A mix of light rain and resolute sunshine led to a rainbow over Brooklyn while These United States was playing. Back home this kind of weather means a fox wedding. It was kind of perfect. Lots of people were out. Someone lent me a towel to wipe my wet chair with. That was nice.

These United States
It probably won’t be too long before These United States updates their set list to let songs from their upcoming album, Everything Touches Everything, dominate; but for now, their live favorites from the last two albums are far from wilting. Every time they’re played live, they’re an explosion of a rowdy soundtrack to stories that weave between an equally rowdy cast of characters. Playing on a big stage on a special evening, weather-wise, with that rainbow spread wide behind the trees, it was a special farewell of sort to the old These United States. They rocked way harder than Phosphorescent and Dr. Dog combined.

Phosphorescent
I spent a whole year mixing Bon Iver up with Phosphorescent. Songs about wolves, videos on a winter-y mountain, a common label, the facial hair: there were too many traps laid before my poor mind. Finally having seen both of them live, though, Bon Iver’s shows seem stronger. Most of it might just be because of Justin Vernon’s regular-guy personality combined with devoted sing-along’s at their Music Hall of Williamsburg show, but at the heart of it,  Phosphorescent’s performance just didn’t capture the prettiness and fragility of their album, whereas Bon Iver did. Good performance nonetheless.

Dr. Dog
Before Dr. Dog took came on, the entire stage got a flowery decor. It looked lovely. Lots of energy, great presence, but the songs are a little too bland. They remind me of Illinois. Not a huge fan of either.

Many more bands playing tonight, and all mp3 links after the jump.

Mercury Lounge: End Up Records teams up with Serious Business to showcase an endearing group of Brooklyn-based performers, led by Caithlin De Marrais, previously of Rainer Maria, who plays from her latest solo wanderings, the result of which will be available in the upcoming records My Magic City and The Cottage EP. The almighty, 10-members-or-so-strong Balthrop, Alabama apparently performs “dressed as the aw-shucks residents of a fictional Southern town”, according to Village Voice. Though the band was formed in Brooklyn, founders and siblings Pascal and Lauren Balthrop are from Mobile, Alabama, and together with their “musically-inclined neighbors” they sing “songs about dead people in love”. Joining them are Benji Cossa and Rocketship Park.

Note! Please remember Evergreen Network when you download Caithlin’s free single “The Fire” from below. Founded by her mother over 20 years ago, Evergreen serves children and their families in the greater Bridgeport, CT area affected by HIV/AIDS. So if you like the song, please consider donating.

Rehab: You can listen to “Hey Man” by The Memories on their myspace page. I like the simple effectiveness of the lyrics, “Hey Man / If you’ve got something to say  / To me then say it man / I ain’t got the time / To be late / At this rate / My head’s on ice”. It’s sung in a voice that sure is pretty, but I wish they’d take a lot of that reverb’d guitar out. Playing with Astoria’s Going Gone, Morning Fuzz, Anthem In.

Union Hall: Do You Believe in Love? Brooklyn salutes Huey Lewis with performances by Graham Smith, The Gimme 5, The Hecklers, Michael Leviton, The Strung Out String Band and more // Trash Bar: Thing-One, The Heavenly Tenants, Bothan Spies, In India // Cake Shop: Ribs and someone else.

Santos Party House: The Virgins, The Young Lords // Bowery Ballroom: Another sold-out, rescheduled show from Dr. Dog, with Senator R. Stevie Moore and Alberta Cross.

And don’t forget the DNC. How about that Hillary? Despite all the pretense the Clintons find necessary to embrace (Bill Clinton made me cringe), at least one sensible thing was said: were her supporters in it for her or for the issues, damn it? Joe Biden headlines tonight. See full schedule.

Playlist
Passion Pit: I’ve Got Your Number
Caithlin De Marrais: The Fire
Balthrop, Alabama: Love to Love You
Benji Cossa: Volcano
Rocketship Park: Spinning Globes with You
Kristoffer Rangstam: Swing That Tambourine
The Break and Repair Method: You Won’t Be Able to Be Sad
Michael Leviton: Summer’s The Worst
Going Gone: Salty Teeth
The Virgins: Rich Girls
Dr. Dog: The Ark

Music Hall of Williamsburg: Dr. Dog plays a rescheduled, sold-out show with Senator R. Stevie Moore and Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson // Cake Shop: Brooklyn’s Callers will release their full-length album Fortune on September 9, and will play tonight with The Chris Forsyth (of The Peeesseye).

McCarren Pool: L Magazine’s Summer Screen series is showcasing two local bands; The King Left will play an acoustic set, and are joined by Trashed on Fiction before showing Wes Anderson’s Rushmore.

More bands and all mp3 links after the jump.

Bowery Ballroom: A “Bone Marrowthon/Stem Cell-Abration” benefit with Nada Surf playing an acoustic set, joined by Richard Buckner, Dean & Britta, Sam Champion, Victoria Williams; Brooklyn’s Australian transplant Scott Matthew, who “strips with his music” and “dissects himself to reveal his very innards with great parsimony”–listen to his “Spinning on Air” appearance on WNYC last year; and California’s Hawaii-born songstress Simone White. Also, for the next three days you can buy Sam Champion’s new album Heavy Blender at Amie Street for just $3.

Playlist
Callers: More than Right
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson: Who’s Laughing
Simone White: The Beep Beep Song
Nada Surf: See These Bones
Scott Matthew: Abandoned
Sam Champion: Be Mine Everyone
The King Left: The Storm in a Teacup
Dr. Dog: The Old Days

The surprise guest at Sound Fix Records is Dr. Dog, who’s also playing Bowery Ballroom tomorrow (cancelled). I’d be really curious to see Amanda Jo Williams at Cake Shop. The girl seems quite out of her mind, and has left me wanting to uncover more. She’s playing with Girls In Trouble (fiddling superstar Alicia Jo Rabins), whose song “Who Sent the Heat” I love, and 6 Jaguar. Puddin’ Tang, also quite out of their minds, have their residency at Don Pedro, where they’re playing with Sorceress. Joan of Arc and Ponytail return to join Flocking Associates (Katie Eastburn of Young People) at Knitting Factory’s main stage. North Carolina’s Megafaun will support Takka Takka’s Pianos residency, as will Peasant, who you should definitely listen to on their myspace, and Get Him Eat Him (I still can’t get over the dude’s voice–it rankles me for no reason). Ed Harcourt is playing Rehab, and Bound Stems, Rahim and Muggabears are playing at Union Hall. Callers sounds great in “More than Right”, and is playing with Spectre Folk and Chris Forsyth at Union Pool. 

Playlist
Rahim: Through a Window
Girls In Trouble: Who Sent the Heat
Takka Takka: Silence
Puddin’ Tang: Puddin’ Tang
Callers: More than Right
Amanda Jo Williams: Country Girl
Flocking Associates: B&B
Muggabears: Little Sisters of Beijing
Peasant: Exposure
Get Him Eat Him: More Lovely Than Likely
Ed Harcourt: You Only Call Me When You’re Drunk
Bound Stems: Happens to Us All Otherwise
Joan of Arc: A Tell-Tale Penis
Ponytail: Celebrate The Body Electric