Video: Beirut on La Blogotheque's 'Soirées de Poche'

Though we hate to admit it, the best part of every La Blogotheque video is watching the bands set up. When the band in question is Beirut, the atmosphere takes on that warm, exotic texture that my parent's freewheeling Spaniard friends always brought to family parties.



As is to be expected, the performances are stunning. Condon and co. play with such virtuosity and warmth, I expect there really is no better venue then the small Parisian cafe featured in the video. Standouts include live favorite "Siki Siki Baba" and a cover of Serge Gainsbourg's "La Javanaise."

And if that last sentence has you as excited as I am, it's every bit as good as it sounds.

Video: New Beirut - East Harlem Live at MHOW

Beirut's Zach Condon wrote "East Harlem" when he was 17, but has only recently debuted live.



[Stereogum]

Here he is performing it at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, care of baeblemusic.com.

It's worth sitting through the ads, I promise.

New Beirut + Zach Condon Solo Throwback EP

Imagine my delight to return from a long debate layover in the Bay Area and discover I'd acquired a copy of the Gulag Orkestar's new EP.


Beirut/Realpeople - March of the Zapotec/Holland (out February 17th on Ba Da Bing!)

The result of a much documented excursion to Mexico, March of the Zapotec features six new Beirut songs recorded in collaboration with a Oaxacan funeral band. Holland, credited to Beirut frontman Zach Condon's newly dusted-off Realpeople monicre, is an odd collection of bedroom synthpop remiscent of 2007's archival Pompeii EP.

Beirut are currently working on their follow-up to 2007's album of the year (in my heart if not on the year-end-lists) The Flying Club Cup.


Mp3 -> Beirut - The Akara (from March of the Zapotec)




[Download]