Color Me Obsessed, a film about The Replacements, will be screening at a number of film festivals and other venues this year and next year. The film was produced by Gorman Bechard (of What We Were Thinking Films) and features interviews with Colin Meloy of The Decemberists, Craig Finn of The Hold Steady, Tommy Ramone, members of Husker Du, Robert Christgau, Jim Derogatis, Ira Robbins, Tom Arnold, and others. The film will premiere in NYC on November 16 and 17 at Bowery Electric.

We're excited to announce that, along with Bowery Electric, we're presenting MATS CITY, a Replacements tribute show that will take place at Bowery Electric after each screening. The show, which will be hosted by Matt Pinfield features a number of guests including Brian Fallon (Gaslight Anthem), Jesse Malin, Steve Wynn, Ted Leo, Chuck Ragan, Charlie Mars, Dave Hause (The Loved Ones), Matthew Ryan, Willie Nile, Tommy Ramone, Alejandro Escovedo, Dave Pulkingham, Walter Lure, Kevn Kinney, Don DiLego, Joe D'Urso, Danny Sage, and Nicole Atkins, and many more to be announced. Those singers will be backed by a band which includes Todd Youth, Matt Romano, and Johnny T. Tickets for the 11/16 and the 11/17 shows are on sale now (ticket options include movie only and show only, and both). A portion of the proceeds will go to Musicians On Call. Note that exact lineups for each date are TBA. Some performers may only be playing one day.

A list of cities the film will screen in and teaser video below...

Continue reading "new Replacements movie 'Color Me Obsessed' screening @ Bowery Electric before 2 special tribute concerts (on sale now)"

Jesse Malin & Alejandro Escovedo at Bowery Electric (more by Lori Baily)

Alejandro Escovedo will swing through town with Jesse Malin and The St. Marks Social as part of an April & May tour. Escovedo will hit numerous venues in New York & New Jersey including the previously discussed Port Washington date, The Bell House on April 30 (tickets), and Maxwell's on May 6th (tickets).

Escovedo is also playing the 2011 edition of Calgary festival Sled Island in June, alongside names like Sleep, Blonde Redhead, Cursive, Zola Jesus, The Greenhornes, and countless others. Tickets are on sale. The full lineup and the rest of Escovedo's tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Alejandro Escovedo touring w/ Jesse Malin, playing Sled Island"

DOWNLOAD: Jason Isbell - Codeine (MP3)

Drive By Truckers

Drive-By Truckers are currently on the road in support of their new album Go-Go Boots which is out now. Their last swing through NYC happened not that long ago - they played the intimate-for-them Bowery Ballroom on 2/15, the same week the album was releasaed. The band returns to the area to hit Wellmont Theatre on June 11th with Alejandro Escovedo! Tickets go on sale at noon. Drive-By Truckers appeared on Conan on 3/8 to perform "Everybody Needs Love" from Go-Go Boots. VIdeo of that and all tour dates are below.

Meanwhile, Escovedo is preparing to head down to SXSW to pepper the city of Austin with shows. But Escovedo hasalso scheduled another area show. It happens on 4/29 in Port Washington, NY at Landmark on Main Street. Tickets are on sale.

Former trucker Jason Isbell will bring Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit to SXSW as well, and is scheduled to play four shows including the free BrooklynVegan/Knitting Factory/Partisan party at Barbarella/Swan Dive on 3/18. The band is also scheduled to hit Bowery Ballroom on 4/22 with Hayes Carll as part of an April tour.

Isbell's new album Here We Rest is out April 12 via Lightning Rod Records. Sample it with "Codeine" above. All dates and stuff below...

Continue reading "Drive By Truckers & Alejandro Escovedo playing NJ & other places, Jason Isbell releasing 'Here We Rest' (dates & MP3)"

Alejandro Escovedo at City Winery (more by Chris La Putt)

Here's a tough job for you - opening for Bruce Springsteen at a rare club gig:

Alt-country great Alejandro Escovedo had the difficult task of performing in the slot directly before Springsteen. He made the questionable decision to not bring a full band, leaving him and another acoustic guitar player to perform for an increasingly impatient audience desperate for their Bruce fix. The biggest cheer he received was when he introduced the track "Rosalie," because some in the audience briefly thought he was saying "Rosalita." Springsteen did come out at the end to perform an acoustic rendition of "Always a Friend" with Escovdeo, a track they performed together on the Magic tour in 2008 and more recently at the Stone Pony. -[RollingStone]

Alejandro Excovedo will probably command much more applause Tuesday (1/18) at Mexicali Live in Teaneck, NJ , one of a few dates he has in the NYC-area this week in celebration of his birthday! Those also include: City Winery on Friday (1/21, tickets are still available) and an already sold-out performance on Saturday (1/22).

All tour dates, some video and Bruce's setlist from Saturday are below.

Continue reading "Bruce Springsteen played a benefit in Asbury Park w/ Alejandro Escovedo (who is on tour again now)"

Alejandro Escovedo at City Winery (more by Chris La Putt)

Alejandro Escovedo is spending the days leading up to Christmas on the road. He'll be in Norfolk, CT tonight (12/15) as part of a string of dates that will lead him to The Rubin Museum of Art on Friday (12/17). Tickets are still available. From there Escovedo will head to north to Woodstock to play a sold out show at Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble on 12/18, and hopefully Helm will be in attendance:

Levon Helm, the longtime Woodstock resident, former drummer for The Band and two-time Grammy winner, has been hospitalized but is expected to make a full recovery.

Helm's manager, Barbara O'Brien, told the sold-out crowd at Saturday night's (12/12) Midnight Ramble house concert at Levon Helm Studios that the 70-year-old Arkansas native has been hospitalized in New York City. The show went on, with Levon Helm Studios Chief Engineer Justin Guip filling in on drums. Guip often sits in on a few tunes at each Ramble, the Saturday night shows Helm holds at his home studio several times a month.

"Levon came down with a little bit of a cold this week and because he's got COPD, a little bit of a cold to you and me is a lot more serious for him," O' Brien said. "...We took him to the hospital today. He's going to be fine. He's in the city. He's with his specialist, but he's not going to be here tonight....He is so upset that he can't be here." [Poughkeepsie Journal]

On a related or should I say relative note, Alejandro Escovedo's neice Sheila E will be in NYC the day after Escovedo (on 12/18 while he is upstate) to play with her old friend Prince at the sold-out Madison Square Garden. Prince kicks off his NYC area run tonight (12/15) at the Izod Center in NJ. Tickets are still available.

Alejandro Escovedo dates and some videos below.

Continue reading "Alejandro Escovedo on tour, Levon Helm hospitalized but ok"

Aimee Mann at Nokia in 2008 (more by Chris La Putt)

Saturday would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday, and a gang of musicians will link up on November 12th at Beacon Theater to participate in the 30th Annual John Lennon Tribute going down at the venue (tickets):

The tribute will benefit Playing For Change Foundation. This concert is a once-in-a-lifetime gathering of artists who will come together to celebrate the life, music and creative spirit of John Lennon. The all-star lineup of performers span nearly four generations, ranging from legendary music icons Jackson Browne, Patti Smith and Cyndi Lauperto acclaimed artists, Aimee Mann, Keb' Mo', Joan Osborne, Martin Sexton, Shelby Lynne, Taj Mahal, Meshell Ndegeocello, Alejandro Escovedo, Playing For Change, The Kennedys, Vusi Mahlasela, Rich Pagano of the Fab Faux, YouTube sensation Chris Bliss, Wendy Osserman Dance and the Tribute's co-creator and MAD Magazine Senior Editor, Joe Raiola.

All dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "Aimee Mann touring, playing MHOW & a John Lennon Tribute w/ Patti Smith & many others (dates) "

words & photos by Benjamin Lozovsky

ZZ Top

While many designers tagged trendier (see younger) performers to appear at their Fashion Week soirees, many of which happened the day before for Fashion's Night Out, John Varvatos and show curator/drummer Matt Sorum (Velvet Revolver, Guns N' Roses) stayed true to the spirit of the Bowery store located where CBGB once stood, picking a lineup that would make Wayne and Garth tremble with a lack of self worth (Mike Meyers sitting on the side of the stage with a giddy grin would seem to confirm that).

Alejandro Escovedo performed first on Saturday night (9/11), churning out garage crunch with no less than 4 guitarists blazing on the Varvatos store's small stage. Ian Hunter (lead singer of Mott the Hopple) followed and was joined by Escovedo for a performance of glam cornerstone anthem "All The Young Dudes."

To break up the boys club, former Runaways singer Cherie Currie, one of rock's more underappreciated female frontwomen, came on next. Currie performed "Cherry Bomb," the Runaways' ode to young female rebellion, with a still palpable sense of angst, proving at the same time you're never too old to stop flaunting sex appeal (and to fit into leather corsets).

The Darling Stilettos

Taking a cue from the icon that preceded them, the night's youngest performers, The Darling Stilettos (think rock's answer to the Pussycat Dolls), danced and felt each other up in all the right places while screaming classic rock covers (and one original tune) like over-sexualized banshees.

There were new groups from established rockers as well. New York icon Jessie Malin performed with his latest musical collective The St. Marks Social, and recently formed rock super group Black Country Communion, consisting of former Deep Purple frontman/bassist Glenn Hughes, blues guitar god Joe Bonamassa, and prodigal son Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin, Foreigner) gave a sneak preview of some of the heavy tracks from their upcoming self-titled debut.

After a brief pause, Los Angeles superstar cover band Camp Freddy settled in as the house band for the remainder of the show, welcoming on stage a revolving door of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alumni as the evening catapulted upward in intensity. Some played covers, like ZZ Top (who were in town to play two nights at Beacon Theatre) evoking the spirit of Hendrix with "Foxy Lady" and Perry Farrell aggressively launching into the audience during "Sympathy for the Devil." Others did their own songs, like MC5's outspoken guitarist Wayne Kramer urging the crowd on during "Kick Out the Jams" with help from Handsome Dick Manitoba, or Alice Cooper being diabolically stylish while performing "I'm 18" and "School's Out."

By the time Farrell ended the night with Jane's Addiction's "Mountain Song," the Varvatos store crowd had finally reached the feverish level of turbulence one would expect for such a night. In fact the performers throughout the night consistently displayed more energy than the predominantly younger audience. For an event full of aging rockers, it really just felt like a riotous gathering of all the young dudes.

The crowd was full of familiar faces as well. Chris Brown, Jimmy Kimmel, Rachael Ray, and Matt Pinfield were among those getting their picture taken on the red carpet and mingling with the fashioned-out crowd. Iggy Pop (who played Don Hill's the night before) and Robert Plant (who played Bowery Ballroom the next day) were nowhere in sight though. More pictures and some videos from the whole night below...

Continue reading "ZZ Top, Perry Farrell, Alice Cooper & many more played John Varvatos' 10th Anniversary @ the Bowery store (pics & video) "

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club played the Fashion Week party at Don Hill's on Thursday. Iggy Pop and The Stooges played there Friday, and according to the above Tweet by Eli Mizrahi, Courtney Love is playing there tonight.

Eli's Tweet also reminds us that tonight is the John Varvatos's 10th Anniversary party in the store previously known as CBGB. There will be a concert from: 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. Supposedly confirmed performers include Alejandro Escovedo, Alice Cooper, Wayne Kramer, Ian Hunter, ZZ Top, Black Country Communion, Camp Freddy, Cherie Currie, Darling Stillettos, Handsome Dick Manitoba, Jesse Malin & The St. Marks Social, and Perry Farrell . Rumored performers include Iggy Pop and (thanks John) Robert Plant (who plays Bowery Ballroom Sunday).

Who else is playing fashion week parties tonight?

photos by Lori Baily, words by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Alejandro Escovedo - Silver Cloud (MP3)

Alejandro Escovedo & Tony Visconti @ Bowery Electric

Alejandro Escovedo played two NYC-area shows this past week. The gigs followed his appearance on David Letterman Wednesday night (video below), and both featured their own special guests.

At the Wednesday night (7/21) Bowery Electric show, the guests were appropriate considering the venue: the East Village bar attracted a host of neighborhood regulars - some better prepared than others (crib sheets littered the stage). The on-stage friends included Ivan Julian (of Richard Hell & the Voidoids), Garland Jeffreys, "Handsome" Dick Manitoba, Bowery Electric owner Jesse Malin, Amy Cook, Kristeen Young, Tony Visconti (who also turned up at Alejandro's City Winery shows), James Mastro, Nicholas Tremulis and Fiona McBain. Alejandro Escovedo's new record, Street Songs of Love, stood up through the diverse interpretations: from Kristeen Young's octave-jumping belting to Ivan Julian's snarling drawl. Though the show's tightest moment caught Alejandro locked in with his band, the Sensitive Boys, like on the show-opening "Always A Friend," from his previous album, Real Animal. For the encore, a swamped stage worked through the Rolling Stones' "Beast of Burden" and Mott the Hopple's "All the Young Dudes."

After the set, the band and friends hung around upstairs to catch themselves on Letterman. Our photographer Lori Baily hung around too, and her pictures from the entire show are below.

Two nights later (7/23), Alejandro invited a different guest up on stage for his show at New Jersey's Stone Pony. Bruce Springsteen joined for their Street Songs duet ("Faith"), an Alejandro song covered by the Boss in the past ("Always A Friend") and (like at Bowery Electric) "Beast of Burden."

Check out "Silver Cloud" from the new album, posted above. Videos from NJ & Letterman, and more pictures from NYC, below...

Continue reading "Alejandro Escovedo & special guests played Bowery Electric, Stone Pony (w/ the Boss) & Letterman (pics & video) "

DOWNLOAD: Alejandro Escovedo - Silver Cloud (MP3)

Alejandro Escovedo @ City Winery in June (more by Chris La Putt)

Alejandro Escovedo, whose excellent Street Songs of Love came out in June, will be back in New York this week for a Wednesday, July 21st show at Bowery Electric. Tickets are on sale. The show is advertised as "with special guests," which isn't so much of a surprise since last time he was through town he brought out Ian Hunter, Tony Visconti and Tift Merritt.

Friday he plays an all-ages show at Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, with Megan McCormick. Tickets are on sale for that too.

At the end of June, Alejandro followed up his NYC shows with an instore at Vintage Vinyl Records in Fords, NJ. Video from that and other recent shows, and all tour dates (some Western US shows in August), are below...

Continue reading "Alejandro Escovedo played Vintage Vinyl, playing Bowery Electric (and other shows) - 2010 tour dates"

DOWNLOAD: Alejandro Escovedo - Silver Cloud (MP3)

photos by Chris La Putt, words by Andrew Frisicano

Alejandro Escovedo just played two nights at City Winery with Bobby Bare Jr. opening. Special guests on the first night (6/29) included Mott the Hoople's Ian Hunter, who joined Alejandro for a verse-trading encore of Mott's "I Wish I Was Your Mother." The second night (6/30) Alejandro's producer Tony Visconti sat in with the band for songs that included a cover of the Bowie-penned Mott the Hoople song "All the Young Dudes." Singer Tift Merritt was there too; videos of those songs are below.

Alejandro Escovedo plays again at City Winery on Friday (tickets still available), and he's at Vintage Vinyl tonight (7/1) in Jersey. More info and all tour dates are here.

Grab "Silver Cloud," the hard-rocking second track from his new record, Street Songs of Love, posted above. More pictures and videos are below...

Continue reading "Alejandro Escovedo & guests played City Winery - pics, videos and a new MP3"

DOWNLOAD: Alejandro Escovedo - Street Songs (MP3)

Starting tonight (6/29), Alejandro Escovedo & the Sensitive Boys play a string of album-release shows for new LP Street Songs of Love, out today on Fantasy Records. All three are at City Winery, with a sold-out show tonight, and a gig Wednesday, June 30 (tickets) and one on Friday, July 2nd (tickets). The first two feature Bobby Bare Jr. in the opening spot and the third has special guest Willie Nile. If you see Bobby, tell him happy birthday and congratulations on the birth of his new son.

In addition, Alejandro will be in Fords, NJ for an instore at Vintage Vinyl on Thursday (6/1), and will be back in the area for the XPoNential Music Festival in Camden, NJ, on July 16th, and a show at Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, on July 23rd with Megan Mccormick (tickets).

The new album's title track is above, and a live performance of album-opening "Anchor" is posted below. Other tour dates and festivals for the summer are below...

Continue reading "Alejandro Escovedo is here for multiple shows & an in-store"

"Played the Simon & Garfunkel tribute in Central Park last night. John Roderick brought it! Ben Gibbard's psych jam ruled..." - Aimee Mann

Holmes Brothers (Sherman, Popsy and Wendell) & Mayor Bloomberg (WFUV)

Ben Gibbard & St. Vincent play "Fakin it" (WFUV)

Paul Simon & WFUV Music Director Rita Houston (WFUV)

SummerStage hosted a pricey benefit for its free programming last night (June 8) in Central Park. The show was a tribute to the songs of Simon & Garfunkel, and musicians covered the pair mostly as duos. St. Vincent and Ben Gibbard teamed up for "Fakin' It," Dean & Britta played "Homeward Bound," Alejandro Escovedo and Willie Nile played "The Boxer," Aimee Mann and John Roderick did "Only Living Boy in New York," Loudon Wainwright III and Lucy Wainwright Roche sang "Bleecker Street" and lots more. Both Simon and Garfunkel were there, but didn't perform. The full performer+set list is posted below.

How did the new speakers at Central Park sound? The SummerStage series continues through August. Celebrate Brooklyn kicks off TONIGHT (6/9).

No videos from the show at the moment, but someone posted some from the show's rehearsal that took place one night earlier at City Winery. Those with the Central Park setlist, below...

Continue reading "Simon & Garfunkel were honored at Summerstage, Ben Gibbard performed w/ St. Vincent & much more"

Calexico...

Calexico have some shows scheduled this summer. Those include at Bonnaroo in June and other festivals like Newport Folk Fest and Ottawa Folk Fest. They'll also play City Winery in NYC for two nights: July 19th (tickets) and July 20th (tickets). All dates below.

Before that, songwriter Alejandro Escovedo & the Sensitive Boys with Bobby Bare Jr will also be doing two nights at the same NYC venue, with shows on June 29th (tickets) and June 30th (tickets). Alejandro's new album, Street Songs of Love, comes out June 29th. He also plays Central Park SummerStage's Simon & Garfunkel benefit night on June 8th. All dates below.

Also on the schedule at City Winery are Clem Snide, who play there on July 16th (tickets) and whose latest LP, The Meat of Life, came out February 23rd via 429 Records. The venue also has shows from Steve Earle & Allison Moorer, Rhett Miller (who have residencies) and Nicole Atkins coming up.

Calexico, Clem Snide and Alejandro Escovedo tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Calexico, Clem Snide & Alejandro Escovedo are all touring, playing shows @ City Winery - 2010 dates"

Alejandro Escovedo @ Clearwater Fest 2009 (more by Chris La Putt)

From the opening power chords of "Always a Friend" from "Real Animal" to the finishing frenzy of the Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog," Alejandro Escovedo performed energetic versions of favorites ("Castanets"), selections from the upcoming "Street Songs of Love" album (the title tune was a standout) and covers of the Rolling Stones' "Beast of Burden" and "Sway."

He remembered recently deceased friends and collaborators Alex Chilton (the Box Tops, Big Star) and Stephen Bruton ("Crazy Heart") with a passionate "Sister Lost Soul." He thanked Mott the Hoople frontman Ian Hunter for standing by him during his bout with hepatitis-C in the new "Down in the Bowery." And he debuted "Gotta Have Faith" with "This is the one from the new album that the guy from New Jersey sings on." Bruce Springsteen would have been proud of the economy of the introduction.

This was the third of nine shows the band is playing before the June 29 release of "Street Songs of Love." Afterward, fans pleaded for a promise to return on the next leg. Cross your fingers now. It's not too early to start wishing. [Cincinnati.com]

The show is one of the only NYC-area stops on his current tour. The other is an afternoon at "Concerts In The Studio" held in Freehold, NJ (about 90 minutes from NYC by train) on Sunday, April 11th. The shows take place in a photo studio next to the home of the hosting couple, Mark & Elaine who seem to be drawing a highly respectable group of performers for their shows. Also on the schedule is a gig with X members John Doe and Exene Cervenka on May 1st. Info on those and other upcoming shows is at their website.

All Alejandro dates and videos of both the studio and Alejandro (who was at SXSW), as well as the tracklisting for the above-referenced new album, are below...

Continue reading "Alejandro Escovedo on tour, tonight in NY, Sunday @ 'Concerts In The Studio' (where John Doe & Exene are also palying)"

A pair of reunions (Moonshine Willy, the Blacks), a local upstart (Scotland Yard Gospel Choir) and a staggering turn by the Texas-born Alejandro Escovedo highlighted Bloodshot Records' 15th anniversary celebration at a scaled-back Hideout Block Party on Saturday.

The daylong event, which took place under blue skies on an outdoor stage 25 yards from the door of the treasured dive, attracted a sizable crowd for performances by a number of former and current Bloodshot artists.

Almost every song in the Blacks' ferocious, too-short set touched on love -- or, more accurately, what happens when it falls apart. Front man Danny Black, dressed head-to-toe in white and sang like a man who had little but the bottle for comfort, while singer-standup bassist Gina Black (no relation) growled her way through a tormented "Horrorshow."

Scotland Yard Gospel Choir turned out an equally stunning set, building its shambolic indie rock tunes around front man Elia Einhorn's confessional lyrics. "Can I be brutally honest?" Einhorn asked on "Oh Lee," answering his own question with an unequivocal "yes" when he crooned the opening line of "Stop!": "I hope you catch syphilis and die alone." [Chicago Tribune]

The tour has a (free) show in Austin this upcoming weekend (9/19) before coming to Brooklyn's Bell House on September 26th. The lineup there won't have Alejandro Escovedo or the Blacks, who are described above (acts rotate from city to city), but it will include Bobby Bare Jr, Exene Cervenka, Dex Romweber Duo, Cordero, Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, The Silos, Ben Weaver and Rosie Flores. 4pm doors / 5pm show. Entry is is only $5, no advance tickets are on sale.

This is the first time I've seen Exene on a bill since her June announcement that she has multiple sclerosis (which came shortly after her band X's 3-night run at Bowery Ballroom). That's awesome that, as she promised, she isn't letting her diagnosis control her life.

Dexter Romweber played some shows with Cat Power in February.

Videos from the tour's Chicago and Wisconsin (8/23) stops are posted, along with all Bobby Bare Jr. dates, below...

Continue reading "Bloodshot Records BBQ coming to Brooklyn w/ Exene Cervenka, Bobbby Bare Jr & more (full lineup, videos, dates)"

photos by Chris La Putt

"Although the [Clearwater] festival was geared towards an older crowd, it did have a pretty stellar lineup. Artists worth noting [that played the first day] were the now 90 years old Pete Seeger (of course), the man who opened Woodstock 1969, one Richie Havens, Susan Tedeschi (wife of guitar prodigy Derek Trucks), Tao Seeger, Old Crow Medecine Show and one of my new favourite bands, Dr. Dog. I was at the festival to work, as Relix had a booth set up for the purpose of selling subscriptions. I did get to drop in on Seeger briefly, he played with the kids from room 12, an assortment of children no older then 9 years old. The man really sparks to life when he is on stage and is simply a musical institution. After meeting and greeting Richie Havens (he was signing autographs and taking pictures at a booth directly across from Relix) I was able to pop in on his short set and catch a powerful rendition of Bob Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower". Mr. Havens stuck closely to the original version but with the addition of a lead acoustic guitarist accompanying him. I also managed to drop by Old Crow Medecine Show's set and catch some of their highly upbeat bluegrass and country music. People were really diggin Old Crow, taking advantage of an excuse to hoe-dance and get down in the mud." [Back in 15 Minutes]

The Clearwater Festival took place on 6 outdoor stages & tents at Croton Point Park in Croton-on Hudson, NY over this past rainy weekend. Alejandro Escovedo, Jennie Arnau, and Allison Moorer were also among those who played on Saturday (6/20). More pictures from that day below...

Continue reading "The 2009 Clearwater Festival - day 1 in pics (Dr. Dog, rain, Pete Seeger, kids, Old Crow Medicine Show, mud & more)"

MSG photos & words by Jacob Blickenstaff, Columbia photos by Jens Schott Knudsen

Pete Seeger @ Columbia in April...

"Clearwater conducts innovative environmental programs, advocacy and celebrations in order to inspire and energize the next generation of environmental leaders.

Clearwater was founded in 1969 by music legend and environmental activist Pete Seeger." [Clearwater]

This summer Pete Seeger is scheduled to play the Newport Folk Festival (August 1st and 2nd), and will perform at his own Clearwater Festival, taking place in Croton-on-the-Hudson, NY this weekend (June 20th and 21st). The Clearwater Fest lineup includes Dr. Dog, A.C. Newman, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Richie Havens, Old Crow Medicine Show, Alejandro Escovedo, Arlo Guthrie and others. Its full schedule is below. Tickets are still sale at the gate.

UPDATE: we can confirm that Pete played his scheduled Saturday morning Clearwater Fest performance "with kids" for those who braved the rain. Pete will perform again at the festival on Sunday afternoon with his grandson Tao Rodriguez-Seeger.

A review of Pete Seeger's 90th Birthday Celebration at MSG, and all above-mentioned photos, with the full Clearwater Festival lineup & schedule, below...

Continue reading "Clearwater Festival this weekend - full schedule ++ Pete Seeger pics (from his 90th birthday & Columbia University)"

by Andrew Frisicano

Elvis Perkins in Dearland outside Bowery Ballroom (jamayaphoto)

Elvis Perkins in Dearland played the Bowery Ballroom in NYC Wednesday night (3/25, review below). The show was not long after he got back from SXSW, and he will next visit Europe before touring North America in April & May. That tour ends with a May 20th show at Brooklyn's Bell House. Tickets are still on sale.

Perkins and band are also on the just-announced bill for the annual Clearwater Festival, June 20th and 21st at Croton Point Park in Croton-on Hudson, NY. Other performers include Arlo Guthrie, Old Crow Medicine Show, Susan Tedeschi, Alejandro Escovedo, Pete Seeger, AC Newman, and Dr. Dog. Tickets are on sale now - they cost (until May 20th when prices go up) $50 for a single day, $75 for a weekend pass, and $115 for the weekend with camping included. Full lineup below.

The Festival is a fundraiser for the Hudson Valley environmental group Clearwater, who is also hosting Pete Seeger's 90th birthday concert happening at MSG on May 3rd (where I'm told, Pete will play a one-song set that "everybody knows the words to"). Tickets for that event are on AmEx presale, and go on sale to the general public on Monday, March 30th at 9am.

To get back to Elvis Perkins, the Bowery Ballroom show began with avant-street-band Himalayas descending from the venue's balcony and ended with Perkins and friends emerging from the soapy depths of the Bowery JMZ station. It all started with...

Continue reading "ELVIS PERKINS played Bowery Ballroom, playing the CLEARWATER Festival (initial line-up)"

Crystal Castles @ MHOW - New Years Eve (more by Ryan Muir)

Al Green @ the Wellmont Theater - Nov 2008 (more by Eric M Townsend)

Superfly Productions and A.C. Entertainment are excited to announce the initial lineup for the 2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. The eighth annual four-day camping and music festival will be held on June 11 - 14 on the same beautiful 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, 60 miles south of Nashville. Every year Bonnaroo seeks to make history by offering unique and exclusive performances by rock's greatest legends as well as its most significant newcomers. A full list of confirmed acts follows, and more will be announced in the coming weeks. The final Bonnaroo 2009 lineup will total over 120 bands and over 20 comedians performing on 13 stages over four days. Tickets go on sale exclusively through www.bonnaroo.com on Saturday, February 7 at 12:00 PM Eastern.

Coachella announced their initial lineup less than a week earlier.

Metallica played Bonnaroo in 2008. Metallica played NY & NJ this past weekend.

Full (initial) 2009 Bonnaroo lineup below...

Continue reading "Bonnaroo announces initial 2009 lineup (Bruce Springsteen, Phish, Beastie Boys, NIN, Wilco, Animal Collective...)"

DBT @ T5 (more by Chris La Putt)

Jason Isbell has a show coming up in NY, but his old band Drive By Truckers are playing not that far away at Starland Ballroom in NJ even sooner - on January 22nd to be exact, and tickets are still on sale. All tour dates, and a very long "Best of 2008" by Patterson, below...

Continue reading "Drive By Truckers - tour dates & Patterson's 2008 favorites"

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

a member of What Made Milwaukee Famous pouring What Made San Antonio Famous over his head

It was just announced that the dates of the 2009 Austin City Limits festival will be October 2-4. More pictures from day one (September 26) of this year's festival, below...

Continue reading "ACL - the 2009 dates, more pictures from 2008 (day one)"

Alejandro Escovedo is keeping it real. His next NYC show will take place at the relatively modest sized Bowery Ballroom. Tickets are on sale. All dates below....

Continue reading "Alejandro Escovedo - 2008 Tour Dates (Bowery Ballroom)"

photos by Lori Baily

AA

AE

More pictures Wednesday night's show below...

Continue reading "Alejandro Escovedo & AA Bondy @ Highline Ballroom - pics"

Alejandro Escovedo is having a good year....

- For the first time in his 30 year career, Alejandro Escovedo has charted on Billboard's Top 200 coming in at #122 with his 9th solo album REAL ANIMAL. Released on June 24th, REAL ANIMAL also enters Billboard's Heatseeker/New Artist Chart at #3 with 6,178 in first week sales. A noted and accomplished artist, Escovedo was named No Depression's "Artist of The Decade" in 1998 and has enjoyed a loyal fan base that includes such luminaries as author Stephen King and filmmaker Jonathan Demme who provided REAL ANIMAL's evocative liner notes.

An Unexpected Mexico
Kinky
Alejandro Escovedo with Strings
Pistolera

Saturday, August 09, 2008, From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Central Park SummerStage

Columbia Records will release Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's 'Magic Tour Highlights' on July 15 via all digital download stores, including the iTunes Store. The release will consist of four audio tracks with four accompanying videos, all recorded live in concert during the 'Magic' tour.

1. "Always A Friend" (performed with Alejandro Escovedo) (video)
Recording Date: 04/14/2008 (Houston, Texas)
2. "The Ghost of Tom Joad" (performed with Tom Morello)
Recording Date: 04/07/2008 (Anaheim, California)
3. "Turn Turn Turn" (performed with Roger McGuinn)
Recording Date: 04/23/2008 (Orlando, Florida)
4. "4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" (Danny Federici's final performance with the E Street Band)
Recording Date: 03/20/2008 (Indianapolis, Indiana)

Continue reading "ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO - 2008 Tour Dates, AA Bondy tonight, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, Conan, Today Show, and other stuff"