At the end of the month, the first annual Black & White Festival will descend upon New York City’s Governor’s Island to deliver two days of pulsating dance music. As the first outdoor festival dedicated to New York dance music, Black & White’s line-up is appropriately made-up of artists that have defined it, including DJ Vibe, Chus & Ceballos, Jonathan Peters, the Martinez Brothers, Oscar G, Chriss Vargas and over 50 other local DJs. You can also cast your vote for which local DJs should spin on the main stage. CLICK HERE for tickets and more info.

Although it’s been over a year since their latest album drop, Passion Pit continues to accelerate with no signs of slowing down, selling out almost every night on the tour so far. Since the emergence of “Sleepyhead” in 2008, the dreamy synth-pop you secretly listened to in high school is suddenly re-evaluated and, well, cool (think hellogoodbye with a better band). The catchy vocal samples, guitar riffs and dreamy lyrics are an unquestionably original combination, mixing rock, electronica and lo-fi pop in a beautiful blend delivered by the fun-loving boys of Passion Pit.

Joining the band for their two consecutive sold-out performances in New York City were Suckers and Tokyo Police Club. A packed lawn of antsy avid listeners waited for their favorite headliner to take the stage in Prospect Park on the first night. The lights dimmed and the familiar intro of “I’ve Got Your Number” accompanied by the heavy bass of Nate Donmoyer’s drumming served as the opening song for the night. Compared to the album version, each member was fully incorporated, coming together to perform a small symphony, while the audience threw limbs up to join the chorus.

It may have been the creepy ghost-ridden island, or hearing the lead singers of Tokyo Police Club and Passion Pit sing a karaoke version of “Bohemian Rhapsody” at the VIP after party, but the second night at Governor’s Island had a better overall atmosphere. There’s no denying that Passion Pit is a band that must be seen live. They have an ability to combine tracks from Chunk of Change and Manners in an innovative way that makes it seem as if they are playing completely new pieces. “Make Light” begins with Michael Angelicos’ celestial wailing, so beautiful and upbeat you would never guess the words were so tormented and painful, a true and honest reflection of falling:

“You must believe to hear me sing these
Messy morsels of my self-assuring love
Oh, it’s painful kneading”

Whether you’re falling in love or tripping on acid, the ambiguous verses make each song universal and relevant to anyone, and honestly, what man these days can pull off a totally original cover of The Cranberries? Check out the set list from the Prospect Park show after the jump.

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Rock the Bells 2010 has landed, bringing a slew of hip hop greats to four cities across the nation. Headlined by Wu-Tang Clan, Rakim, KRS-One and Slick Rick, the line-up also includes Street Sweeper Social Club (led by Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello), Clipse, Jedi Mind Tricks and more. Lauryn Hill is also slated to appear.

Though the line-up is stacked with hip hop veterans, we initially disappointed with the scarcity of current and up-and-coming artists. However, Rock the Bells is shaking things up this year with a new twist: the four headliners will perform their debut albums from start to finish – Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures Of (1989), KRS-One’s Criminal Minded (1987), Rakim’s Paid in Full (1987) and the Wu-Tang Clan’s groundbreaking Enter the 36 Chambers (1993) – a move that may have been inspired by Public Enemy’s outstanding performance of It Takes A Nation of Millions at last year’s Root’s Picnic in Philadelphia.

Rock the Bells hits New York City’s Governor’s Island on August 28. For updates on the line-up, set times and tickets, visit the official Rock the Bells website.

Hard Fest recently announced that M.I.A. will headline shows in both Los Angeles and in New York City this summer. The dates are particularly well-timed, given that M.I.A.’s third studio album is tentatively slated for a June release. Last January, M.I.A. took to Twitter to leak a new track, “There’s Space For Ol Dat I See”, produced by Rusko (listen to it below). We’re hoping that this new collaboration will manifest itself on stage this summer, which isn’t too farfetched – Diplo was M.I.A.’s official DJ on the People vs. Money tour in 2008.

M.I.A. + Rusko – “There’s Space For Ol Dat I See”

Hard NYC will take place on July 24 on Governor’s Island. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 26 at noon. There will be a limited number of $40 tickets available.

Don’t forget, Hard will be hosting a pool party this Thursday in Miami, and will hit NYC on April 3 with Major Lazer, Boys Noize, Buraka Som Sistema, Proxy, and Destructo.

If you missed the Electric Zoo Festival last weekend, here’s your shot at redemption: Armin van Buuren will be spinning a free show on Saturday at Governor’s Island from 1-5 PM.

Armin’s show is part of the New Island Festival, which will be taking over Governor’s Island from September 10-12 and again from September 17-20. The festival celebrates the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s voyage from Amsterdam to New York, and will include DJ sets, theater, visual arts and more, all by Dutch artists.

While the party is free, you need to purchase a Water Taxi ticket to get there. Roundtrip tickets are $10 – a bargain considering tickets were over $50 for his April show at Roseland Ballroom. Click here for more information about the event or to purchase Water Taxi tickets in advance.

Check out photos of Armin van Buuren and other performers from The Electric Zoo festival this past weekend.

AvB feat. Cathy Burton – Rain [Cosmic Gate Remix]