She & Him @ Bowery Ballroom in March (more by sarahana)

She & Him will be coming to NYC for two shows this July as part of their summer tour dates. All of those shows are posted below.

So far, music on July 4th in NYC includes kids music at Battery Park, the Old 97s at South Street Seaport, and a free 2pm Rosanne Cash show on Governors Island (presented by Trinity Wall Street) - you can add to that a free She & Him show at the Beach @ Governors Island (presented by The Bowery Presents, Highline Ballroom and Mad Dog Presents). Roseanne Cash and She & Him - same date, same island, separate shows. She & Him time TBA.

Two days after that (7/6), She & Him play Terminal 5. Tickets for the not-free show go on AmEx presale Wednesday, April 28th at 11am. General tickets go on sale Friday at noon.

Last time they were in NYC, in March, She & Him played two nights at Bowery Ballroom.

All tour dates (quite a few around North America, and Europe before then) are below...

Continue reading "She & Him playing a free 4th of July show on Governors Island (Rosanne Cash too), Terminal 5 & other 2010 tour dates "

view from the ferry in 2009 (more by Chris La Putt)

First Passion Pit & Tokyo Police Club, then M.I.A./Sleigh Bells, and then Local Natives (and I just noticed Michael Franti & Spearhead w/ Trombone Shorty). All of a sudden Bowery Presents is doing shows on Governors Island, a space that was booked last year by AEG & Highline Ballroom. Well, Highline Ballroom is still involved. I found this press release that was issued in February:

Continue reading "as you probably noticed, Bowery Presents does shows at Governors Island now..."

Brent at work (at Pop Montreal) (run comrade)

Pop Montreal kicked off last night (9/30). It's not too late to drop everything and take a car over the border. I haven't been in a few years, but non-stop show hopping in a great foreign (but so close) city was a great experience. Plus, if you get there by tonight (10/1), you can check out the BrooklynVegan showcase featuring Micachu & The Shapes, Clues & Slim Twig! Other highlights of tonight include Think About Life, Fever Ray (who just completed a two-night run at Webster Hall), Mono (who also just played two NYC shows), Screaming Females (who are on tour and played Death by Audio Saturday), Loudon Wainwright III (who just had his family join him for a show at Highline Ballroom), Butthole Surfers (also on tour), The Intelligence (recently in NYC), and Sister Suvi (played Sycamore on Tuesday).

Last night's Pop Montreal schedule highlights included sets by Amy Millan (touring to NYC soon), Matt & Kim (playing a Halloween show with Weezer), The Phenomenal Handclap Band, and Jay Reatard...

"Usually arriving 20 minutes late to a Pop Montreal show makes you right on time. But I biked up to La Sala Rossa near 1 a.m. Thursday morning to find a crowd spilling into the street. Not a good sign. "Is it over?" I asked some friends, referring to Memphis punk upstart Jay Reatard's 12:30 set. Yup, came the reply. "Did he start early?" Nope. "But it was proper," said Ninja Tune's Jeff Waye. "Twenty-minute set - there's not many bands I want to see for more than 20 minutes."" [The Gazette]

To be more specific, last night's Jay Reatard show in Canada was the third stop on Jay's Shattered Records tour. The fourth stop on the tour is TONIGHT (10/1) at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC (11pm doors). Also on the bill (last night and tonight) are Shattered Records artists Nobunny, Hunx & His Punx, Box Elders, and Useless Eaters. All dates and the tour poster below.

The Phenomenal Handclap Band (pictured to the right) were set to play with Man Man and Brazilian Girls at The Beach on Governors Island Friday night (10/2), but that show has been canceled.

Shows in NY and Boston cancelled!!
This is really sad for us to announce, but the shows in NY and in Boston, OCt 2nd and 6th had to be cancelled, due to immigration issues. its a real drag, but we promise we'll play there soon, trying to make it before the end of the year.

we'll keep you posted. - Brazilian Girls

Immigration issues?

The Phenomenal Handclap Band are still opening for Chromeo at Irving Plaza on October 16th though, and they just announced their first big headlining show. It's December 11th at Bowery Ballroom, and tickets are now on AmEx presale with general sale beginning Friday at noon. No openers are listed yet. All dates below.

Meanwhile, Bruce Springsteen kicked off his five-night run at Giants Stadium last night. It was one of two shows that he'll perform the entire "Born to Run" album at.

A good night of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band for the first of five shows at Giants Stadium on Wednesday night. A 29-song show that lasted 3 hours and 14 minutes, one of the longest shows timewise of this tour.

It was nice to have the show start off with a new song. I believe it's the first time Bruce has played a unreleased song (not including Working On A Dream which he played at a political rally last year) since debuting "Long Walk Home" with the Sessions Band in London in November of 2006.

Of course the highlight of the evening was hearing the entire "Born To Run" album from start to finish as well as a classic 1978-style story in the middle of "Growin' Up." [Star Ledger]

Willie Nile came out and joined the band for a few songs during the encore. The tour continues Friday night when the E Street Band will play all of "Darkness on the Edge of Town". If you're going consider all transportation options. Video of the now-60 Bruce Springsteen discussing the birthday-related story (nightmare) in the middle of "Growin' Up", and other videos, below...

Continue reading "Pop Montreal (now), Bruce Springsteen (setlist), Man Man (canceled), Phenomenal Handclap Band, Jay Reatard (tonight)"

Earlier this week 50 Cent called off his Aug. 30 performance at the "40 Day" aka "Family Day" event in Queens, N.Y., after community members and law enforcement officials voiced fear over a possible shootout.

However, a new, more peace-inspired rumor has surfaced on the street: If 50 had, in fact, taken the stage at the G-Unit-helmed neighborhood party, he hoped to have Cam'ron join him. This seemed like an unlikely move from 50 Cent's camp considering the war of words that the G-Unit and Dipset members exchanged a few years ago. But before this story had time to gather too many legs, Killa Cam confirmed to MTV in a video interview that he had no plans of making the trip to Queens, where his beef with 50 first began.

"Nah, I'm not going to no show in Queens," Cam'ron said. "I don't know how true it is ... a few of my people -- associates -- said [some of 50's associates] was trying to reach out. But, I ain't going to no concert in Queens. Come up to Harlem Week. We could sit down and have the roundtable meeting if you really wanna be serious. Or meet anywhere ... we can meet in Benihana's if you wanna be serious. It don't matter. I'm not squashing a problem we had in Queens at your event." [The Boombox]

50 Cent may not be playing the Queens event, but he is playing the Beach on Governors Island on October 3rd. Tickets go on 'Internet Presale' today (Friday) at noon, and general sale on Saturday at the same time.

More importantly, if you haven't seen it already, check out the video of Mike Bloomberg discussing the "50 Cents" situation (and other related videos) below...

Continue reading "'50 Cents', Cam'ron not playing in Queens (Bloomberg video)"

photos by Chris La Putt

"Last night, the 38-year-old R&B oddity known as Erykah Badu performed on the 225-year-old New York oddity known as Governors Island. Both the artist (herself an island) and the island (itself art) brought to the show singular quirks and diva auras. The performer wore a top hat, the venue sand." [Time Out]

"Glad we came out here. Perfect day for this outdoor performance featuring Erykah Badu and Janelle Monae. We definitely recommend Governers island for all of you folks that want to snuggle up to a little bit of earth. It's a great escape and just a short ride on the water taxi from South Ferry. Make the trip." [Shermani Exchange]

"Here is the deal though. Badu live is an amazing thing. She is also sort of in her own world. That can be great. Or as one person Tweeted last night, "I love Erykah, but every song doesn't have to be the 10+ minute extra extended version, lol." There is a problem simultaneously with the venue--you need to take a boat to Governors Island, which is just down below the tip of Manhattan, and so you are trapped there, and if it is getting kind of late for you, you can't just sneak out, and so people were leaving in droves--and with Badu, who can roam off into five or six minutes of random effects-laden vocalizing. She took that show way down a few times. Which, since a lot of people were smoking a lot of pot, was probably pretty good for them!" [The Awl]

More pictures from the show, and a bunch of videos, below...

Continue reading "Erykah Badu & Janelle Monae @ the Beach on Governors Island in NYC - pics & videos"

Governors Island Water Taxi Beach (racreations.net)

On Tuesday, August 4, AEG Live will be presenting soul-songstress ERYKAH BADU as the first of a number of summer shows at The BEACH at Governors Island, a new 3000-capacity waterfront venue in one of New York City's most historic locations...

...Other shows on AEG's line-up for THE BEACH at Governors Island include Badfish: A Tribute To Sublime on Saturday, August 29; N.E.R.D. with special guest Asher Roth on Wednesday, September 9; Lupe Fiasco on Friday, September 11; and Brazilian Girls on Friday, October 2. Tickets for the August/September shows are on sale now; Brazilian Girls on sale next Friday, August 14 at 12pm.

Janelle Monae is opening tonight's show (8/4). There is also a Mos Def show in September. More information in the Beach (from a press release) below...

Continue reading "AEG Governors Island Beach concerts kick off w/ Erykah Badu (tonight) ++ N.E.R.D. & Brazilian Girls coming soon"

Governors Island - Water Taxi Beach on July 11, 2009 (cutzer)

This past weekend was a big one for new venues in NYC. Brooklyn Bowl had its first show in Williamsburg on Friday, and Sunday was the first Pool Party on the Williamsburg Waterfront. On Saturday, it was the opening of The Beach on Governors Island. Video from the first show (to give you some idea of what its like) below...

Continue reading "Governors Island Beach is open (videos from the 1st show) "

photos by Tim Griffin

"The other day I attended the Afro-Punk Festival at the BAM skate park. I had the pleasures of seeing Janelle Monae and Saul Williams. There were also cats skating [and biking] around and doing tricks. All around there was just a good ol' merry vibe and I had fun for the short time I was there." [Phantastictful?]

Janelle Monae has been added as opener to the Erykah Badu show happening on the beach at Governors Island on August 4th. Tickets are still on sale. More pictures from Monday's Afro-Punk Fest show, below...

Continue reading "Janelle Monae played the Afro Punk Festival w/ Saul Williams (pics), playing Governors Island w/ Erykah Badu"

Lasers are the opposite of losers. Lasers are shining beams of light that burn through the darkness of ignorance. Lasers shed light on injustice and inequality. Losers stand by and let things happen. Lasers act and shape their own destinies. Lasers find meaning and direction in the mysteries all around them. Lasers stand for love and compassion. Lasers stand for peace. Lasers stand for progression. Lasers are revolutionary.

Lasers Are The Future.

We're Not Losers...We Are L.A.S.E.R.S.!!! [Lupe Fiasco]

Lupe Fiasco's new album "Lasers" will be released later this year. The first single "Shining Down" will be released Tuesday (7/7). Lupe has a show scheduled in St Louis in August, and two in NY in September. On 9/11, he'll play the new Beach on Governors Island (which has its first show this Saturday - the 11th), and then the next day he plays SUNY's Dewar Arena in Oneonta. Tickets for the NYC show go on sale Friday at noon. All dates below...

Continue reading "Lupe Fiasco - new album, shows at SUNY & Governors Island"

Mos Def gets ready for the beach (Black Star @ Nokia Theater) (more by Tim Griffin)

The lineup for this summer's Highline Ballroom/AEG-produced events on Governors Island has been expanded. We already mentioned the big B-52s and Erykah Badu shows. One big addition to those is a performance by Mos Def on Saturday, September 12th. Those tickets go on "internet presale" starting Saturday, June 27th at 10am. General sale starts Monday, June 29th at 10am.

More DJ parties, kids events and other bands have been added as well. Full info and schedule below...

Continue reading "Beach @ Governors Island adds Mos Def & other 2009 shows "

"The Highline Ballroom, along with Liberty Event Management & Water Taxi Beach, is proud to announce the Beach on Governors Island. This unique venue will quickly become New York's premier live outdoor venue, resting on the coast of the New York Harbor, providing stunning views of Lower Manhattan. In addition to the concert area, the Beach will feature a café, several bars, and a shaded courtyard beer garden. The Beach isn't just a concert venue; it's an experience.

Governors Island, in the heart of New York Harbor, is only 800 yards from Lower Manhattan, and even closer to Brooklyn. The Beach @ Governor's Island, will operate in conjunction with NY Water Taxi, who will be providing continuous ferry service to the island for ticket holders on their fleet of boats." [The Beach on Governors Island]

The beach, which is currently a parking lot (I heard they drop the sand around July 4th), will be operating a lot like Water Taxi Beach in Long Island City. You can take a water taxi there and hang on the beach, and drink and eat. Most days will be deejays, and AEG and Highline Ballroom are working with Water Taxi to also bring bands there. The stage will be set up at the end of the beach, and you'll watch from the sand (or at least some people will... I think there will be some non-sand places to watch from too). The first big beach show announced is The B-52's...

The Highline Ballroom is proud to announce the addition of The B-52s to our second annual Governors Island Concert Series: The Beach on Governors Island. The B-52s on The Beach will be a rain-or-shine, all-ages performance scheduled for August 18th on beautiful Governors Island, located only 800 yards off of Lower Manhattan.

To add to the fun, the fifty-two girls (and "girls") attending the show dressed in the most creative beach or nautical attire (sailor suits, bikinis, marine uniforms, mermaid costumes, etc) attending the concert will be given free tickets to a future show at The Highline Ballroom.

Tickets for that show are currently on AmEx presale. General sale starts Monday, June 29th. Girls, ready your nautical attire. Guys leave it at home?

Other acts at the Beach this summer include Erykah Badu on August 4th, and a free show with Tragedy, an "All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees". Many more shows TBA, but you can see the full lineup for now, below. Some shows are free. $52 tickets for Erykah Badu go on sale Saturday, June 27th at noon.

The Highline/AEG-produced shows aren't the only music events on Governors Island this summer, though not all events there happen on the beach. Folks on the Island will happen on the island, and, Punk Island, a Make Music NY event in its second year, took place there on Sunday, June 21st. How did that show go? It looks like, despite the rain, headliner Reagan Youth drew a pretty sizeable crowd. Videos below.

The B-52s performing "Love Shack" with country act Sugarland at the CMT Awards on June 26th, is also below, along with with the full Beach at Governors Island schedule with all upcoming B-52s tour dates...

Continue reading "concerts on the BEACH ON GOVERNORS ISLAND - Erykah Badu, the B-52s & more TBA ++ Punk Island happened"