The Feelies at The Bell House last Saturday (more by Greg Cristman)

Jangly post-punk legends The Feelies just played two NYC-area shows last week, and they've since announced the return of their annual July 4 shows, which they'll play in their hometown of Hoboken this year. The shows will happen on July 4, 5 and 6 at Maxwell's. Tickets to night 1, night 2, night 3, and all three nights are on sale now.

They've got a few other upcoming Northeast dates scheduled too. All dates are listed, along with a video of the band playing "Crazy Rhythms" off their classic 1980 debut LP of the same name at The Bell House last week, below...

Continue reading "The Feelies playing July 4 shows at Maxwell's (& other dates)"

photos by PSquared Photography

Tom Jones @ Bowery Ballroom, 5/18/2013

Jones's voice is so gigantic that it can seem like a put-on, and he's always known it; part of his charm is the way he'll play it up, often with a hoarse cackle at the end of a line, or between songs. But this is a good time for adult-leaning vocal interpreters from the rock generation, especially with atmospheric backing - see Robert Plant and Alison Krauss's Raising Sand, for starters. Jones's new Spirit in the Room (Rounder), produced by Ethan Johns, isn't the first time Jones has put together something of this nature - Johns also produced 2010's gospel-leaning Praise & Blame - but it's clearly a departure from his Vegas-identified norm. - [Rolling Stone]

Tom Jones, who doesn't normally play small rooms like Bowery Ballroom, did just that this past weekend (5/18), one of a few club shows plugging his rootsy new album, Spirit in the Room. Those hoping for a glitzy, hit-packed set may have been disappointed -- only his 1966 #1 cover of "Green Green Grass of Home" was played (no "It's Not Unusual" or "Delilah") -- but they did get the Welsh legend's mighty pipes in an intimate setting without the sound of slot machines in the background.

Opening the night with a cover of Leonard Cohen's "Tower of Song," he also gave the audience earthy renditions of The First Edition's "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)," John Lee Hooker's "Burning Hell" and others, plus a tribute to the recently-departed George Jones with "He Stopped Loving Her Today." Setlist is below.

More pictures from Bowery, plus video of him performing "Green Green Grass," below...

Continue reading "Tom Jones played Bowery Ballroom (pics, setlist)"

Deafheaven at Public Assembly in 2012 (more by Greg Cristman)

As mentioned, San Francisco black metallers Deafheaven are releasing their new album, Sunbather, on June 11 via Deathwish. You've already heard the first single, "Dream House," and now they've let loose the title track, which like the last single, leans just heavily on shoegaze and post-rock as it does on metal. Check it out below (via FADER).

Deafheaven's tour with Marriages hits NYC for an Invisible Oranges-presented show on July 2 at Saint Vitus with NOTHING. Tickets for that show are still available.

Song stream below...

Continue reading "listen to the title track from Deafheaven's new 'Sunbather' LP"

by Fred Pessaro

Phil Anselmo with Down at Best Buy Theater (more by Greg Cristman)

With all of the many many projects that Phil Anselmo has been involved in over the years (Down, Pantera, Superjoint Ritual, Arson Anthem, etc), its not entirely shocking to hear that the vocalist/guitarist/songwriter has taken on another . His latest, called Philip Anselmo & The Illegals, is being billed as his first "solo" venture, despite writing all of the music on the first Viking Crown EP. The band is preparing to release their new record, Walk Through Exits Only, via his own Housecore Records, for a July 16 blast off. Stream a new track below.

As discussed at InvisibleOranges, the release of new material also comes packaged with live dates dubbed "Technicians of Distortion" tour, where the band will be joined by perennial tourmates/Housecore bros Warbeast and most interstingly, the great industrial/metal oddity Author & Punisher! Look for the tour to hit NYC on August 16 at Best Buy Theater. Tickets go on sale Friday (5/24) at noon.

As discussed at InvisibleOranges, Author & Punisher are readying the new LP, Women & Children, released on June 11. Stream that title track below.

And, as mentioned, Anselmo & Co will also play Austin, TX with Goblin soon too.

All other tour dates are listed, along with that song stream, below.

Continue reading "Phil Anselmo & the Illegals ready new LP, touring with Warbeast and... Author & Punisher? (dates)"

K Records magnate Calvin Johnson (of Beat Happening, Dub Narcotic Sound System et al) has a few East Coast/Midwest dates this week, including a show on Wednesday (5/22) at Ran Tea House with labelmate Ian Svenonius' Chain & the Gang, and Arrington de Dionyso's Malaikat dan Singa, and the NYC live debut of Erin Earthling. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Arrington de Dionyso's Malaikat dan Singa also play another NYC show on Friday (5/24) at Secret Project Robot with Aye Aye Rabbit (featuring Greg Saunier of Deerhoof), Many Mansions, and The Drunken Foreigner Band.

In other K Recs news, as mentioned, Heather Rose Dominic's 1998 documentary The Shield Around the K will screen next Friday (5/31) at Videology in Williamsburg as part of 2013 NYC Popfest. Screening is at 5 PM and free.

All Calvin Johnson tour dates are listed below.

Continue reading "Calvin Johnson touring, playing NYC with Chain & the Gang and more (dates)"

(photo via The National's Instagram)

As mentioned, The National are playing small NYC shows today, including Mercury Lounge at 10 PM (tickets go on sale at noon), Public Assembly at 5 PM (free if they select you for a ticket), and now they've announced a very-last-minute one happening at Sycamore in Ditmas Park at 12:30 PM. The venue is (or was) booked by Jessica Dessner, sister of The National's Bryce and Aaron Dessner.

The show was announced via the instagram which is pictured above and included the caption, "Care to join us for lunch? Doors at noon, show 1230 see you soon?". It was announced so last minute, as to obviously keep anyone but their neighbors and people who knew about the show away from the super small show in in their hood of Ditmas Park.

If you can't get into any of today's small shows, there's still the huge Barclays Center show on June 5 with Youth Lagoon. Tickets for that show are still available and we're also giving away a pair.

UPDATE: Here's a pic from the Sycamore show (via The National's Instagram):

The National's new album, Trouble Will Find Me, is out today. Video for its single, "Sea of Love," below...

Continue reading "The National playing Sycamore in Ditmas Park at 12:30 PM"

by Fred Pessaro

Lets face it, I've always been more of an East Coast guy when it came to hip hop. In the classic 2Pac vs BIG (happy birthday Mr. Wallace!) discussion, I fall BIG every time. Wu-Tang was always more important to me than No Limit, the south or Cali crews like Freestyle Fellowship and Heiroglyphics. Yet there is always an exception to every rule, and that exception is Souls of Mischief's classic, 93 til Infinity:

93 'til Infinity is the debut album by Souls of Mischief[, and was] ...propelled into success by its title track and lead single, which reached #72 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also featured singles "That's When Ya Lost" and "Never No More" which reached the Hot Rap Singles, but never charted on The Billboard Hot 100. According to Allmusic author Steve Huey, "Although the title cut is an underappreciated classic, 93 'til Infinity makes its greatest impression through its stunning consistency, not individual highlights." Huey also goes on to remark that 93 'til Infinity is "one of the most slept-on records of the '90s". -[Wiki]

Yes, it has been two decades since the release of 93 Til Infinity, but you can celebrate the record's release and hear it in its entirety on the "Stillfinity" tour, currently on a campaign throughout North America. Look for Souls of Mischief to hit SOBs on July 3 with a live band in tow. Tickets are still available. Get to the show or.... that's when ya lost!

Full tour dates are listed, along with classic videos, below.

Continue reading "Souls of Mischief celebrating 20 years of '93 Til Infinity' on tour"

by Andrew Sacher

Philly neo-soul singer Bilal returned this year with his highly accessible and slightly psychedelic new album, A Love Surreal, which came out this past February. He celebrated it in NYC with a "nearly packed" release show at Highline Ballroom that month, and earlier this May he kicked off the album's world tour. That tour brings him back to NYC for a show at SOB's on June 9. Tickets for the SOB's show are on sale now. All dates are listed below.

Last week (5/14), Bilal performed with The Roots (who he's collaborated with before) on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, playing a cover of Steely Dan's "Black Cow." You can check out that video, the music video for A Love Surreal single "Back to Love," the tour trailer, and tour flyer, below...

Continue reading "Bilal released 'A Love Surreal', on tour (dates & videos)"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers @ Beacon Theatre, 5/20/2013

Petty doesn't play a supercharged oldies revue like the Rolling Stones. Nor does he distort his catalogue into willfully eccentric renditions that separate "true" fans from mere pretenders, a la Bob Dylan. (Don't get me wrong: I love this about Dylan.) Petty doesn't perform for three and a half hours, like Bruce Springsteen, and he doesn't rely on expensive bells and whistles, like pretty much everyone else.

Monday night, at least, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers satisfied themselves with a tight, confident, two-hour set that featured a handful of hits, a few well-chosen covers and lots of deep album cuts. (You can check out the complete set list at the bottom of this post.) His band has been playing together for more than 30 years -- he was only half-kidding when he introduced drummer Steve Ferrone, who joined in 1994, as "the new guy" -- and they couldn't be more in sync. Lead guitarist Mike Campbell shreds aplenty, and keyboardist Benmont Tench unleashed a solo during "Melinda" (a staple of the band's live set that has never made its way onto an album) that ranged from Jerry Lee Lewis to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. But that was the extent of the fireworks. - [Huffington Post]

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers kicked off their five-night run at NYC's Beacon Theatre last night (5/20) and pictures from that are in this post, as is the setlist which included songs from throughout his nearly 40-year, hit-filled career. Did you go last night? Anyone going to all five nights?

Tom Petty plays Beacon Theatre again tonight which, like the rest of his run, is sold out. More pictures from last night are below.

Continue reading "Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers began their five-night Beacon Theatre run (pics, setlist)"

photos by PSquared Photography

Iron & Wine at the Capitol Theatre - 5/19/13

Iron & Wine is currently on a tour with the Secret Sisters in support of his new album, Ghost on Ghost, which hit NYC last week (5/14) at Beacon Theater and then circled back to the area for a Port Chester show at the Capitol Theater this past Sunday (5/19). Pictures of the latter are in this post.

For the tour, Sam Beam is being backed by a 13-piece band, and also takes some time out of his sets to do some solo acoustic material. Both NYC-area shows saw him playing the bulk of Ghost on Ghost in addition to a good amount of earlier material, but he had some surprises thrown in there too, including his cover of The Postal Service's "Such Great Heights" at the Cap show.

More pictures from the Cap and setlists/videos from both shows below...

Continue reading "Iron & Wine played the Capitol Theatre & Beacon Theatre (pics, videos, setlists)"