photos by Eric M. Townsend

Santa Questlove

Rahzel + Shaggy tearing it up, free apple cider shots for the ENTIRE club from our main man + Brooklyn Bowl owner Pete Shapiro, and Big Freedia and her "Azz Everywhere" - you know, just another legendary Okayplayer Holiday Jam with The Roots. What else was amazing? Free dranks thanks to Heineken, aerialists doing the splits above The Roots, and opening DJ sets from OKP Editor at large, Eddie "STATS" and OKA's own Chief Boima, along with LargeUp's own DJ Gravy and so much more. Warming up the stage, the Music Unites Youth Choir opened the show, followed by Black Thought co-signees The Wurx who brought fresh Philly-style raps.

Next up, godfathers The Roots took the stage for an extended jam with a laundry list of Okay family and friends. Throughout the night special guests included Gary Clark Jr. who graced the stage and flexed his guitar chops, Big Daddy Kane who spit classics alongside Black Thought, and Rahzel who showed why he's the human beat box extraordinaire. Angelique Kidjo and Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew tore it up, repping Okayafrica all the way. And LargeUp kept shit bombastic with Shaggy and Patra the Dancehall Queen, along with Mr. Eazy, Red Fox, and Rayvon. We also got some instrumental goodness thanks to Ray Angry and Robert Glasper on keys, repping for Revivalist. And after all that, DJ ?uestlove brought it home on the 1s and 2s with a Bowl Train after-party. [OkayAfrica]

Gary Clark Jr., who also guested at the show, played his own show at Mercury Lounge two days earlier (12/13). You can check out a review of that show on Bowery's website.

Questlove DJs Brooklyn Bowl again tonight (12/22). He tweeted, "Tonight at @brooklynbowl. We celebrate the 5th Anniversary of James Brown's exodus. All James All Jams. #BowlTrain." Tickets are still avilable. He also gives Manhattan some love and DJs at S.O.B.'s on January 3. Tickets are available for that too.

More pictures and a video from the Okayplayer show below...

Continue reading "Okayplayer Holiday Party pics (Roots, Big Daddy Kane, Shaggy, Big Freedia, Gary Clark Jr, Angelique Kidjo & many more)"

DOWNLOAD: Steven Drozd - "Born" (MP3)

Tibet House US Benefit 2010 (more by Chris La Putt)

No word on how a giant vagina entrance, a bear suit, Wayne Coyne in an inflatable ball, Hulk hands and similar props will work at Carnegie Hall, but The Flaming Lips will join recent addition Taj Mahal at the 21st Annual Tibet House US Benefit Show on 3/3. The two join a veritable all-star lineup that includes Michael Stipe, The Roots, Patti Smith with Jesse Smith & Michael Campbell, Angelique Kidjo, James McCartney, and of course curator Philip Glass. Tickets for the concert are on sale via Carnegie Hall, while tickets for the concert and a fund-raising dinner are on sale via Tibet House directly. (Note: Do not expect a full set by any band - they usually play 3 songs each at the most, with a few collaborations and group sing-alongs).

In related News, Wayne Coyne recently talked to Spin about some of the Lips' plans for 2011...

First up, the band is heading to New York to cut tracks with synth-pop artist Neon Indian and longtime producer Dave Fridmann, and they're hoping to release the results on the fly. "We're going to do two or three songs with him and that shit should be ready to go pretty quickly," says Coyne, who posted a demo of a potential collaborative track earlier this week. "I have a couple of tunes that he's heard and we'll just do that shit and fix that up and fuck around together."

Coyne adds that he'd love to do similar collaborations with Deerhoof and Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti: "I think everybody would be up for doing something. But a lot of it comes down to us fitting into their schedules. I can always sneak in on their thing."

Finally, Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips recently dropped the score for The Heart Is Drum Machine, a documentary that examines music and human attraction to it. The twelve-track mostly-instrumental LP features tracks like "Born" (downloadable above, streamable below) and a cover of Elton John's "Rocket Man" featuring none other than Maynard James Keenan of Tool/A Perfect Circle. The film also features Drozd, Keenan, & Wayne Coyne, alongside appearances from Jason Schwartzman, Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock, Juliette Lewis, Spoon's Britt Daniel, George Clinton, and many others who all discuss their personal connection to music. The Heart Is A Drum Machine is out now on DVD and the soundtrack is out now on iTunes.

The soundtrack tracklisting, the film trailer, and that song stream are all below.

Continue reading "Flaming Lips & Michael Stipe playing Tibet Benefit, Deerhoof playing Europa, Heart Is A Drum Machine score out now"

...which is being rebroadcast online "shortly" NOW. Other performers include Amadou & Mariam, Hugh Masekela, K'Naan, Tinariwen, Vieux Farka Touré, Angelique Kidjo, Black Eyed Peas, and Shakira.

Memorial Day Weekend officially opened the summer, and for those in the Pacific Northwest it also brought Sasquatch Music Festival (pictures from all three days are coming soon). Now the lineup for its Labor Day cousin, Bumbershoot 2010, has been announced. That fest, happening at Seattle, WA's Seattle Center September 4th-6th, will include headliners Bob Dylan, Mary J. Blige, Weezer, Hole, Rise Against, Neko Case, The Decemberists, J. Cole and "one more very special guest to be announced soon."

Tickets (including non-Mainstage 'economy' passes) are on sale now. The rest of the lineup (by day) for the seven-stage festival is posted below...

Continue reading "Bumbershoot 2010 lineup (Bob Dylan... Hole... Mary J Blige)"

Emiliana Torrini

Emiliana Torrini is playing Highline Ballroom on August 14th. Tickets are on sale (@ noon).

America are playing Nokia Theatre on October 16th. Tickets are on sale (@ noon).

Satanicide are headlining Bowery Ballroom on July 25th. Tickets are on sale.

Tickets are on sale for the Tori Amos show at Radio City.

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the show Seasick Steve is playing at Mercury Lounge. Tickets are on sale for the show he's playing at Southpaw too.

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the show Los Campesinos! and Girls are playing at Webster Hall.

Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on July 7th. Tickets are on sale.

"DAVE STEWART, ARETHA FRANKLIN, WYCLEF JEAN, QUEEN LATIFAH, CARLA BRUNI-SARKOZY, JOSH GROBAN, CYNDI LAUPER, ANGELIQUE KIDJO, BAABA MAAL, JESSE MCCARTNEY, TLC, THE SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR, AND OTHER GUESTS" are celebrating Nelson Madela's 91st birthday at Madison Square Garden on July 18th. Tickets are on sale.

The Black Crowes are playing Central Park Summerstage on September 2nd. Tickets go on sale June 12.

Bruce Springsteen tickets go on sale Monday.

Friday night 'dance' events in The Week In Dance.

No tickets needed for Monday's David Byrne show.

Check out some Emiliana Torrino videos below...

Continue reading "America, Emiliana Torrini, Satanicide, Tori Amos, Seasick Steve & other tickets"

photos by Tim Griffin

"It's been 10 years since Tibet was the hot issue in the rock community, but some stars still carry the torch. One of the biggest forums for this activism is the annual Tibet House benefit in New York, where an eclectic group of artists bands together to salute Tibetan culture.

This year's concert, held [Tueusday] at Carnegie Hall, started off on an energetic note, with Antibalas raising the sedate crowd to its feet. After playing a song, they were joined by Beninese singer Angelique Kidjo, who wowed with an energetic cover of the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter," before performing one of her own songs, "Emma." Antibalas then exited stage right, while bluesman Keb' Mo' joined Kidjo for one more tune.

Curator Philip Glass then took the stage to introduce his son Zack, who was performing with the Patti Smith Band. The younger Glass played two pleasant, mainstream folk-rock tunes, the furthest thing possible from his father's experimental compositions. He was followed by Vampire Weekend, who played with a string quartet and debuted a new song that sounded even more influenced by Paul Simon's "Graceland" than its previous work, as well as "M79" from its self-titled debut.

At this point, the tone of the show changed, with the elder Glass perforing an original piano composition with the string quartet. The piece was lovely, but felt out-of-place after so much upbeat rock. To add to the discombobulation, the National, who played two excellent new songs, followed Glass.

...Patti Smith, a fixture at many Tibet House benefits, took the stage with her daughter Jesse accompanying her on piano.... [full review @ BILLBOARD]

Continue reading "The National, Vampire Weekend, Patti Smith & more @ the Tibet House Benefit @ Carnegie Hall (2009) - pics"

Photos by Ryan Muir

While millions were home watching the town hall debate betwen Barack Obama and John McCain, I was at Town Hall the venue missing it watching a variety of entertainers help raise money for 826NYC, an organization that helps educate children (Oct 7, 2008). The night went like this: Ira Glass came out and told a story. Then Thao Nguyen played two songs by herself. Zach from Rogue Wave was supposed to be with her, but he had to cancel. The Daily Show's John Oliver was the host and he was my favorite performer of the evening which was an extra bonus because he performed comedy between almost every other act.

Department of Eagles then played three songs - two of them as the core duo of Daniel and Fred and one just as Daniel. It was, as they pointed out, only their second show ever. Their first was the night before at the Bell House and was much longer, and I guess they weren't counting Conan where they only played two less songs than they did at Town Hall. Their album is out now (as they also pointed out).

Then 826NYC board president (and driver license-less) Sara Vowell pretended to be Sarah Palin unintelligently explaining what 826NYC is as 826NYC founder Dave Eggers told us what it was in an intelligent fashion. TV on the Radio's members did not perform music. Kyp Malone came out next and read a funny little story written by a kid at 826NYC and then (not counting John Oliver again) Paul Simon played four songs - three classics including "Mrs. Robinson", and one brand new song that he recently wrote and never played before. The new song felt the most special, but the old songs were definitely very great to hear from the legend in the somewhat intimate atmohsphere that is Town Hall. Paul was accompanied by one guy on guitar who also sang backup and played other instruments. You would think Paul would have played last, but I guess he wanted to get home early. After Paul came a surprise two song set by Angelique Kidjo who got the whole crowd to sing along with her and her guitar player.

And last but not least (well, maybe least), a whole group of people including TV on the Radio's Tunde Adibempe (showing off his acting side) and Parker Posey read a story about NY that was also a sorta-funny chapter from a book that was available for sale in the lobby. More pictures from the night below...

Continue reading "Revenge of The Bookeaters (Paul Simon, Department of Eagles, Thao Nguyen, Kyp Malone, etc) @ Town Hall - pics"