When I say way back when I mean Eugene and Benjy(Benji?) time. New to us & newly posted on nme.com but has aparently been on youtube since '07.

Blurb: "A video documentary of the hot new NYC-based band "Black Gold" featuring Eric Ronick, Than Luu, Siggy and Alistair Paxton. Courtesy of Desedo Films (www.desedo.com)." (though it's Eugen and Benjy(i?) in it not Al & Siggy.



[Source]

Of note is that BG's press release still says Siggy even thought he's not played with them for over a year and we've now got Kerry (& had Shiben in between). I personally wish Red Bull would update it but it doesnt' seem to bother anyone else.

Also I have no clue who this LRonick is other than Eric's brother is friends with him on youtube (a mysterious family member I asume)

So the radio station in my area, WTMX Chicago, has a segment on  their "New Tunes @9" segment called "Heart it or Hate it" and I'm friends with the DJ on Facebook and I couldn't help but notice that he'd posted that BLACK GOLD- SHINE was the song up for voting.

Here is the original post:

Jeff Corder ...101.9 The MIX NewTunes@9 ~ 2nite's Heart it or Hate it is Black Gold's "Shine" ...So whacha' think? Text "1" if you Heart it or "2" if you Hate it to 60123.

Black Gold Hitting the Road With Sherwood, Shine In Julie Roberts' New Movie

02/03/2010.

New York-based, Black Gold, have been on the road non-stop since the release of their debut, Rush, in 2009. With high-profile appearances at All Points West, SXSW and opening for The Pixies, Neko Case, The Scissor Sisters and The Hold Steady, the duo led by Eric Ronick (lead vocals/keyboards) and Than Luu (drums/vocals) have announced their first run of dates for the new year.

( Read more... )

source

Posted on Feb 2nd 2010 2:35PM by Benjy Eisen

Filmed on location in the California desert by director Josh Forbes, the video for Black Gold's 'Shine' is indeed beautiful. But there's more going on there than just a pretty setting -- the hidden treasures may be revealed, partially, by the appearance and use of wish lanterns. The lanterns, which fill up with hot air and take flight -- hopefully taking the original bearer's wishes along with it -- are a New Year's Eve tradition in Thailand.

As for the eco-friendly lanterns' appearance in the 'Shine' video, the imagery was intended to illuminate some of the song's lyrical themes. "The heart of the song is about a time in a person's life when his or her faith is being tested in the most challenging way they've ever known," band member Than Luu explains to Spinner. "In that moment, you pray for something or someone so bad that you'd be crushed if you were let down and reborn if you were not. The concept for the video speaks to this test of faith and the dreams that go with it. You'll see imagery of friends and loves lost, hints of hopes and fears, light and dark." Check out the video after the jump.

This news doesnt deserve a cut

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@blackgoldmusic: If you haven't heard the news, "Shine" will be part of the new movie, Valentine's Day! Check it out: http://ping.fm/7qD4u

The movies out on 12 Feb.

The soundtracks out on 9th Feb.

( Cover art and track listing under here )

( Sometimes two people are all you need to make a band. )

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three pics here

I especially love the second. Go show Caro some love, she's a great photographer.

So we know the guys are practicing for what comes next, Than tweeted about picking up the boys for practice times and I'm pretty sure said far away place is Australia!

Final acts for St. Jeromes Laneway Festival have been released and BG are on that list. It appears to be a "lets fly a bunch of bands across Australia to let them play music to lots of people" sort of dealio and BG are playing all Australian cities. I'm assuming this is what Than mentioned to us in Leeds back in December about touring with Echo & The Bunnymen (insert my jealousy here). They really do enjoy leaving it 'til the last minute to tell us of stuff.

From the site: "We’re also pleased to introduce Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalists Eric Ronick and Than Luu AKA BLACK GOLD to Australia for the first time. Pimping tracks from their 2009 debut Rush, the duo (who have supported The Pixies and played as touring members with the likes of M. Ward and Swervedriver amongst others) will win over audiences with some of the warmest and most charming indie pop offerings in recent memory. For real."

Dates are:
Friday 29 January - Brisbane: Alexandria St off St Paul’s Terrace, Fortitude Valley (Twilight event)

Saturday 30 January - Melbourne: Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC)

Sunday 31 January - Sydney: Sydney College of the Arts (SCA)

Monday 1 February - Auckland: Britomart Station

Friday 5 February - Adelaide: Fowler’s Live, North Terrace
(Twilight event)

Saturday 6 February - Perth: Cultural Centre, Northbridge


For tickets go to the site, click the city you want then click "buy" from the menu. Sydney is sold out, & Melbourne has a final limmeted release at 9am today (tues 19th Jan) so get your tickets while you can. Auckland appears to be all ages (under 15 with an adult) while the rest of the dates are 18+.

If you are going take some pics for us (also Sydeny & Melbourne people watch Frightenen Rabbit if you can, they're awesome & Scottish)

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p.s. do you like our new banner?

welcome to the bg 3-part photoblog. let's dive right in with our last tour
to the lovely united kingdom. the backstory: we had just come off
playing some dreamy, too-good-to-be-true shows opening for the pixies.
then we had a few days off for a gluttonous (and glutinous, btw)
thanksgiving. (don't forget to click through for deeper descriptions!) -t

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

(when I get round to saving them, I'll embed the photos in this post)

Backed by Red Bull Records, BlackGold are a two piece group consisting of Eric Ronnick and Than Luu. Reading their profiles it seems that the duo are a sort of manufactured super group of sorts, being put together by their management group while touring with Ambulance Ltd and The Killers.

( BlackGold say that their sound is... )

You know Idols is getting the most varied reviews ever from loving it to hating it, but at least everyone agrees they're good at music :) (fyi I'm not posting the bad ones, though there's ony been a couple, because I don't like when they get bad reviews). It's never not going to be one of my favourite songs ever ever (I wouldn't have plans to get lyrics tattoo'd on me if it wasn't, though I do already have one bg tattoo anyway, what can I say I'm marginally obsessed with these guys)

Today's post bought to you by: boredom, pepsi max, plushgun and a cold bedroom

ETA: I fail at editing posts. Source HERE btw

aka Bex has been too busy to post the past few days.

( glasswerk.co.uk Idols review )

( from theregoesthefear.com (Idols) )

( vexedmag.com Breakdown Review )

( glasswerk.co.uk Detroit review I don't think was posted )

Incase y'all were wondering what's in it & don't have an iphone/ipod, have some caps :)


Frontpage.

( more )

Honestly you're not missing much, it's all things we've been getting in a few places bundled into one app.

I’m sitting here in my New York apartment on my familiar old couch 
sorting through tour pix for ‘SUP when I realize that my couch isn’t 
so familiar anymore. After three long months on the road, I feel like a visitor in my own crib. Am I truly, finally back home? Is this real? Hope so, ‘cos I’m fucking beat. Beat, but happy. This has been the best tour of my life, no doubt about it. It was also Black Gold’s longest tour so far. We started in 
the UK with Neko Case and her incredible band (kisses to Neko and 
Kelly!), then we did our first show in Asia at the F1 Rocks festival 
in squeaky-clean Singapore. After an insanely drawn-out layover in Manila due to typhoons, we headed back west for long stint across the 
USA with the lovely and talented Girl in a Coma (girl drummers rule!). Finally, we capped off the three-month run with the dream 
tour: four shows with the Pixies (viva los Pixies!). I literally took thousands of pix, so many that my camera died, so here 
are just a few teasers taken from my iPhone on the last leg of the 
tour. Hope you enjoy, I’m off to bed after this.
Sweet dreams,
T.

–Than Luu, Drummer, Black Gold

( Photos under the cut )

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it's nice that we're getting to see some of Than's photos again

BLACK GOLD; Idols (14/12/2009 Red Bull Records)
Written by Dave
Thursday, 03 December 2009
A dose of mid-tempo indie cruising with mild outbursts of reflection is illuminated by stammering instrumental and vocal touches, drawing out worrisome tendencies for ‘Idols’. This is the third single from the genre mixing debut album ‘Rush’ and, it bears out singer Eric Ronick’s ability to slowly build up the vocal tension.

Already Black Gold show the mood building leanings and tune-crafting poise that many had been expecting Haven to go onto prolifically produce. The foundation is firmly set for a thoughtfully melodic career, as long as they keep building from their stammering and reflective base.

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Twitter lurking has again given me something interesting:

@MobBase:Announcing the official Black Gold (@BlackGoldmusic) iPhone app, powered by @MobBase! http://apps.mobbase.com/blackgold

Welcome to Black Gold's iPhone App!Download this app and stay connected to all of Black Gold's music, news, tweets, videos and other content in real-time.

Welcome to Black Gold's Mobile Mob!
(just fyi it's got a 17+restriction on it but just click ok)

yes I'm installing it right now, isn't that icon pretty? ;)

Black Gold - Idols
posted 9 hours ago by Harry Cooke
[Red Bull Records]
Released: December 14th

by Andy Puffin

Black Gold are currently touring the UK with The Book House Boys, and release "Idols", probably the stand out track off their debut album, Rush, this week. A mid-tempo'd number, that has a chorus built for stadiums, it sees lead singer Eric Ronick's voice take on a husky, almost whisper in the verses, while when you reach that chorus, it's a pure shout-along rush.

The middle 8 is a dreamy, almost psychedelic trip, that cements the more classic influences that can be heard on the track (check the video below, it's very Beatles-y). Some of the drumming, particularly towards the end is real quality, and having recently seen said drummer in the flesh, I can confirm that it is as impressive in a live environment.
8/10

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I love it when people review it so nicely