The Human League recently released Credo, their first LP in ten years and ninth overall, though according to a source quoted on Wikipedia, it "will not be available domestically in the US or on iTunes." The album is out now overseas. Maybe that will change, Regardless, the classic new wave band has scheduled some shows in the United States.

Though all dates haven't been announced yet, it looks like The Human League will tour from California to NYC, kicking things off at "Totally 80s Hollywood Bowl" on September 2nd along with The B-52s, The Fixx, and Berlin. The B-52s will also join them on other dates, as will fellow old school new wavers Men Without Hats who are the only opener at the NYC show at Best Buy Theater on 9/23. Tickets for that one go on AmEx presale at 10am today (5/18), and on regular sale on Friday.

Men Without Hats recently played SXSW, a fact that amused many in attendance. Houston Press caught them:

Every year at SXSW, Aftermath scans the schedule of hundreds and hundreds of bands and always has the same reaction: "They're still around?"

This year it was Canadian synth-pop safety dancers Men Without Hats. Since Aftermath was already going to be at Club de Ville Friday to interview Cheap Trick/Candy Golde drummer Bun E. Carlos and the Hats - who turned out to be founder Ivan Doroschuk (in a cowboy hat), two hired guns on synths and another on guitar - were closing out the night, we said, "Why the hell not?"

We're glad we did. Yes, there was the "S-s-s-s...A-a-a-a...F-f-f-f..." portion of the evening, at which point the entire tented patio became a sea of cameras and some very amusing dancing (above), but there's a little more to the Hats than that song, which is still as sleek and joyful as ever. It's no albatross Doroschuk only hauls out because he has to, that's for sure, as proved by the singer's own enthusiastic choreography during the 1982 hit.
For one thing, there's also "Pop Goes the World," an afterthought these days but itself a 1987 smash and practically as perfect a little pop song as you're going to find even today; we watched more than a few people who banked on leaving after "Safety Dance" turn right back around.

All known tour dates and some new and old Human League videos, below...

Continue reading "Human League playing shows w/ B-52s & Men Without Hats "

B-52s @ Asser Levy Park on August 19th (myny1974)

Last Friday morning, roughly 15 inmates were back on duty, cleaning up the aftermath of the B-52s concert while six guards kept a close watch.

The city had said that the inmates on the detail posed a minimal risk, as they were hand picked only minutes before getting on the bus to the concert site -- so as to avoid any possible escape plans -- and strip-searched before getting on the bus to Asser Levy Park or Wingate Field.

The Department of Correction also made sure the inmates weren't from either Crown Heights or Coney Island, so that the prisoners wouldn't be seeing old friends while gathering chairs.

Most locals had not taken issue with the prisoners, but rather had been disappointed that the jobs were going to incarcerated men being paid $1 an hour instead of people in need of work in the ailing economy.

"It's nice the prisoners give something back to society," said Ida Sanoff, an opponent of Markowitz's larger plan to expand the bandshell into a $64-million amphitheater. "But on the other hand, there are a lot of people out of work that would like to get paid -- even if just for a couple of days." [Brooklyn Paper: City jail to Marty: Get your own workers!]

Asser-Levy Park bandshell (Lisanne!)

The initial/partial schedule for the 2010 Seaside Summer Concert Series at Asser-Levy Park in Coney Island is posted below. The series of free shows kicks off on July 15th with Neil Sedaka and Brenda Lee. After that, there's a July 22nd show with the "Beach Boys" (Mike Love/Bruce Johnston) and Happy Together Tour (Flo & Eddie of the Turtles, Mickey Dolenz of The Monkees, & others), a July 29th show with George Thorogood and the Destroyers and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, and date-TBA shows with Belinda Carlisle (whose GoGos tour was recently canceled) and secret guest (the B-52s?), John Legend (who plays Brooklyn Bowl tonight) and Aretha Franklin, plus Latin Night. (schedule via Sheapsheadbites).

The Seaside concerts happen Thursdays at 7:30pm at Asser Levy/Seaside Park (West 5th Street and Surf Avenue) in Coney Island/Brighton Beach, across the street from the New York Aquarium. For now they still happen in the above-pictured bandshell, though things may get fancier in the future.

There's also the associated 28th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series, which happens Mondays at Wingate Field (located on Brooklyn Avenue between Rutland Road and Winthrop Street opposite Kings County Hospital). That kicks off with George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic and The Ohio Players on July 12th. Acts for the other nights of the series are TBA. Dates are below.

The full lineup (with most of the schedule) is posted below...

Continue reading "initial Coney Island & Wingate Field 2010 free concert lineups ("Beach Boys", Belinda Carlisle, Neil Sedaka & more) "

words by Nick Masi

photo from the Jones Beach show (more by Eric Townsend)

The Police played what was being billed as their final concert ever last night at Madison Square Garden (August 7, 2008). The 150th show of their reunion tour, which started in 2007, wrapped up at New York City's famed arena.

They opened with a cover of Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love," and then went into their own catalog...with a bang! The group brought out the NYPD marching band and had them line the front of the stage. Banging their drums in unison with Stewart Copeland, they all went into a raucous version of "Message In A Bottle." From that point on the show never slowed down. All the hits were played, except for "Spirits In The Material World"(my favorite Police song) and "Man In A Suitcase." They also covered Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" and Manfred Mann's "Do Wah Diddy," which led into their own, "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da." Sting took time out to thank his band mates for their companionship and support, even added some comic relief by saying, "The real triumph of this tour is that we haven't strangled each other."

During the encore, the video screens showed Sting backstage, shirtless, getting his full beard shaved by two women while crew members shined his shoes and Stewart kissed him! The crowd ate it up, laughing and screaming until they came back onstage. After playing "So Lonely" and a few others, The Police let the crowd know that they were officially done. They brought out a "Fat Lady" (actually not a lady) to sing (lip sync) opera on stage, which then turned into the Looney Toons theme and Porky Pig saying, "That's All Folks!" If the "Fat Lady" did indeed sing and this really was the final performance by The Police, they did it not only with energy, class and flair, but with humor.

Lots of videos and the setlist below...

Continue reading "The Police (last show ever) @ MSG - videos, setlist, NYPD"

Produced by True Colors Concerts in partnership once again with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the 24 city North American tour is presented by Logo in support of the newly created True Colors Fund of Stonewall Community Foundation. The concerts feature nearly five hours of nonstop music with exciting special guests appearing on select dates throughout the tour including Wanda Sykes, Tegan and Sara, Regina Spektor, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Joan Armatrading, Indigo Girls, Nona Hendryx, Deborah Cox and The Cliks.

This is the tour started by Cyndi Lauper that featured that last year featured Erasure, The Gossip, Dresden Dolls, Debbie Harry, and Cyndi herself. Last year's NYC-area show was at Radio City Music Hall. This year's show is at Radio City again (June 3rd w/ Cyndi Lauper, The B-52s, Regina Spektor, Rosie O'Donnell, Indigo Girls, The Cliks, & host Carson Kressley), but it's also at Jones Beach two days earlier (w/ the same lineup, but without Regina for some reason). That sucks that we don't get Tegan & Sara at all.

An "HRC Exclusive" presale starts March 10th. Regular tickets go on sale March 15th. All dates below....

Continue reading "'True Colors' is back - 2008 Tour Dates & lineup"

The B-52's in Kansas, August 2007 (CRED)

Tickets go on sale Friday for the Halloween show. Would you pay $50 to see the B-52's & The Rapture at Roseland?

after Daft Punk in Seattle - July 29, 2007 (CRED)

Though I still can't find much about this one, word is that The Rapture are playing a Halloween show at Roseland Ballroom in NYC with the B-52's. The reason there hasn't been any official information posted about this show yet? Probably because both bands have other NYC shows coming up in August - coincidentally both in Coney Island, and both on August 9th. The B-52's show is a free one, and The Rapture one is opening for Daft Punk at Keyspan Stadium.

And speaking of Daft Punk & The Rapture, check David Bruno's latest dance post for the flyer to the NYC afterparty, and check his older dance post for more info on the afterparties happening after each show on the tour (that is going on as we speak).

Also on Halloween in NYC in a big ballroom - Ryan Adams.

More tour dates below....

Continue reading "DAFT PUNK afterparties & a RAPTURE show w/ The B-52's on Halloween ++ other Tour Dates"

Experience Hippiefest, the musical flashback celebrating the bands that defined music's most influential decade: the '60s. The second annual Hippiefest marks the fortieth anniversary of the Summer of Love – an era of liberation, experimentation, long hair and flower power – with impresarios The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Mitch Ryder, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald, Iron Butterfly, Denny Laine and Melanie.

Tour creator Toby Ludwig explains, "This festival is for people who weren't around in the '60s and '70s or were and just can't seem to remember. Bring your parents, your grandparents and your kids. Come be a Hippie for a day!"

Hippiefest is a tour that hits the free "Seaside Summer Concert Series" in Coney Island on July 26th.

@ Asser Levy/Seaside Park, Brooklyn, NYC in 2007 - FREE
July 12 - Tommy James & The Shondells, Jay Black, Johnny Maestro
July 19 - Billy Ocean & Air Supply
July 26 - Hippiefest
Aug 02 - mystery night
Aug 09 - The B-52's w/ Patty Smyth (an annual tradition?)
Aug 16 - mystery night
Aug 23 - Salsa by the Sea w/ TBA

So will it be Daft Punk, Beastie Boys, The Hold Steady, The Black Crowes OR THE B-52's? Actually, it should be noted that the B-52's and Daft Punk are both in Coney Island. The other free concert in Coney Island is on July 21. And then there's the Rockabilly Festival in August.

Martin Luther King Jr concert series dates HERE. All Hippiefest & B-52's tour dates below....

Continue reading "Hippiefest, the B-52's, Tour Dates & more free concerts in Coney Island"