New York Dolls at Irving Plaza (more by Tim Griffin)

New York Dolls, now with ex-Blondie guitarist Frank Infante on board, have scheduled a free show UPDATE: We're told this is actually only going to be an autograph signing now.... at Best Buy in Union Square (not to be confused with "Best Buy Theater" in Times Square) on 3/15 at 6:30PM in support of their forthcoming LP due that day on 429 Records.

Be one of the first 300 people to buy their new album, Dancing Backward In High Heels, at Best Buy Union Square starting at 12:01 am on Tuesday, 3/15 and you will receive a wristband which guarantees admittance to the event. Arrive early. Space is limited.

The show signing is in addition to the previously discussed 3/16 show at Bowery Ballroom which you can still buy a ticket for.

The Dolls also recently announced UK , Spain and Japan shows. Bowery and Best Buy are is still their only current U.S. date. All dates are listed, with some videos, below...

Continue reading "NY Dolls are gonna be at Best Buy and other places (updated)"

Charlatans @ Best Buy in NYC - 9/14/2010

The drummer for The Charlatans, Jon Brookes, collapsed on stage last night during a gig at Philadelphia's Johnny Brenda's.

Early into the set Brookes suddenly collapsed and stopped breathing. Fortunately there was a doctor in the audience who administered first aid and got the drummer breathing again before the paramedics arrived minutes later. Brookes was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital in Philadelphia and during the night was given a CAT scan and has been responding well to treatment. He has now been transferred to a larger hospital in the city for further tests, although his condition is said to be improving and doctors believe there will be no long term effects on his health.

Fans are advised to check the website regarding future gigs.

The Charlatans just played shows at Bowery Ballroom, Music Hall of Williamsburg and Maxwell's (and Best Buy) before heading to Philly. Feel better Jon!

Two videos from the Best Buy show (which took place one day before Philly), below...

Continue reading "Charlatans drummer collapsed on stage "

by BBG

Black Anvil at Europa (more by Samantha Marble)

Black Anvil's latest LP Triumvirate is due at the end of this month via Relapse (9/28 to be exact) and the band will celebrate with an album release show on the same day at The Studio At Webster Hall alongside The Absence and Ipsissimus (who are working on their debut for Metal Blade). The show is free with purchase of the CD at Best Buy ("NOTE: Fans purchasing the CD at the Union Square Best Buy will receive a wristband. Fans purchasing the CD on-line will receive a receipt. Bring either to the door to get into the show."). Shortly after, the band will hit the road for a string of dates with Watain and Goatwhore (including Santos on 12/2 without Goatwhore).

Full tour dates as well as some video is below...

Continue reading "Black Anvil schedule record release show (free w/ CD purchase from Best Buy) & other dates "

computer rendering of Best Buy Theater marquee (via NY Times)

For whatever reason, I prefer "Nokia Theater" - it almost doesn't sound like a sponsored name or I just got used to it. "Best Buy Theater" on the other hand - all I can think about is blue and yellow ("Danzig played the Best Buy Theater" doesn't sit well).... Press release below...

Continue reading "Nokia Theater is now Best Buy Theater (Linkin Park appropriately playing the inaugural performance)"

photos by Ryan Barkan

But then it all started to slip away, as Ms. Love's abuse of cocaine and prescription pills took a toll. She became a tabloid regular, famous for behavior like flashing her breasts at David Letterman. It was hard to imagine her ever being taken seriously again. "I have lived the worst parts of my life in public," she said earnestly, "and now my band and I have made a relevant record."

"I went all in," she added. "I bet the farm on this record, which is dangerous, but great in a way, because when you do that, you have nowhere else to go. There is no Plan B."

The challenge is to make the quality of the music eclipse Ms. Love's tabloid celebrity, said David Massey, the president of Mercury. The label gave Ms. Love a multi-album deal just four months ago, before the recording was finished. "The decision to sign the band was entirely music driven," he said. "It's now become such a complete, great record that I'm blown away. One thing that impressed me when I got to know Courtney were her lyrics and ideas. Nobody else is doing such raw, truthful music." [NY Times]

Hole kicked off the initial four-date US leg of their tour in LA on Thursday (4/22). Coming up, they play two nights at Terminal 5 on April 27th and 28th. Tickets to both NYC shows are still/back on sale at the moment.

Before those, there will be an acoustic in-store performance at the Best Buy Union Square on Monday, April 26th at midnight (aka when you can buy Hole's new album, Nobody's Daughter, which comes out April 27th). Details on that are below.

The band then heads to Europe before returning to the US for more shows this June. One of those will be a Friday, June 25th gig at NJ's Wellmont Theatre. Tickets go on sale at noon.

The picture above and more below are from the group's appearance at Spin day party at SXSW at Stubb's on March 19th. There are also pics of the other bands that played that show - Rogue Wave, Fucked Up, Miike Snow and Sharon Jones. Those, with the setlist, all tour dates and a teaser video for the record are below...

Continue reading "Hole adds a NJ show, an acoustic NYC in-store & other dates ++ pics from SPIN @ SXSW (w/ Courtney, Fucked Up & more) "

all photos by Brian Reilly except the Nardwuar shot is by Bryan Bruchman

Nardwuar backstage @ Galaxy Room

Andrew WK on stage @ Galaxy Room

Andrew WK went from headlining Irving Plaza in NYC straight to Texas for a full schedule of SXSW shows before he left for Mexico where he played MtyMx. Then, unlike Andrew Frisicano (who went from NY to Austin to Mexico, then back to Austin and is now in Tennessee), Andrew WK came back to NYC before heading to Tennessee (where he performs at set at the Big Ears fest Friday night with the Calder Quartet) (and gives a talk there on Saturday).

Tonight (3/25), Andrew WK will appear at the Best Buy in Union Square...

"I have an in-store autograph signing at BEST BUY in Union Square tonight. It's at 8pm, on 14th street, at the corner of 4th Avenue. I'm giving away limited edition 7" records, color 8x10 photos, and posters. - Andrew WK

One of Andrew WK's SXSW shows was our Saturday BV/M For Montreal day party at Galaxy Room where he played a solo piano set after Voivod played a full legendary set of metal after Holy Fuck played their set of none of the above. All three bands were introduced by our special guest host Nardwuar who actually played a set at the Mint records showcase with Andrew on a previous day of the festival. I won't say too much more about that because we have a full post on the M For Montreal day coming, but some pictures and Nardwuar-filled videos of everything mentioned so far are below...

Continue reading "Andrew WK is @ Best Buy tonight (Big Ears is Friday), played SXSW w/ Voivod, Holy Fuck, Nardwuar (pics & video)"

"Best Buy is kicking off the Club Beats experience by hosting several celebrations across the country with today's top music talent, including this Thursday November 19th @ the Best Buy store location in New York City's Union Square. Club Beats starts at 4pm with appearances by Dr. Dre, Jimmy Iovine (Charmain Interscope Geffen A&M Records), will.i.am, Major Lazer featuring Diplo & David Guetta special guest DJ performances."

Diplo DJ'd at the Woodie Awards at Roseland last night, and they also billed him as "Diplo from Major Lazer". I guess that is how he is known from now on?

Continue reading "Dr. Dre, Diplo, will.i.am & others DJing in Best Buy today"

"For the first time ever, Green Day will be performing an exclusive show for their IDIOT CLUB members at New York's Bowery Ballroom on May 18th. This is the show you have been waiting for, join your fellow IDIOT CLUB members for a performance you will never forget! Head over to www.idiotclub.com and get more info!" (thx Brian)

So, Green Day's NYC schedule looks something like this:

May 15 - Best Buy signing (529 5th Avenue) (flyer below)
May 18 - Bowery Ballroom
May 19 - Webster Hall (sold out)
May 20 - PC Richard & Son Theater (tickets)
May 22 - Good Morning America (Rumsey Playfield - 69th St / 5th Ave)
Jul 27 - Madison Square Garden w/ Kaiser Chiefs

Continue reading "Green Day confirms Bowery Ballroom (for fan club) + PC Richard Theater (contest) & Summerstage (GM America)"

Guns N' Roses' and Axl Rose's lawyer has castigated Dr Pepper, accusing the soda maker of failing to deliver on its "Chinese Democracy" (Black Frog/Geffen) free soda promotion, which the band was never involved in.

Beverly Hills-based Alan Gutman has written to Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. president and CEO Larry Young, accusing the company of operating an online redemption scheme that was an "unmitigated disaster which defrauded customers." Gutman is demanding that Dr Pepper makes good on its offer by extending the period for the offer; he also wants full-page apologies in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.

Gutman's letter makes clear his view that the original campaign was an "exploitation of my clients' legendary reputation and their eagerly awaited album" and "brazenly violated our clients' rights." He is also seeking an "appropriate payment... for the unauthorized use and abuse of their publicity and intellectual property rights," with the threat of further action if an acceptable offer is not made.

"Now is the time to clean up the mess," says Gutman. [Billboard]

Wired says, "Anyone who goes to the site now looking for their free soda due to Chinese Democracy being released is greeted by the normal front page of DrPepper.com, which contains no visible mention of the high-profile giveaway. If you didn't register for your soda in the first two days the album was on sale, you're out of luck, unless Gutman succeeds in forcing DR Pepper to extend the deadline again."

A video someone made while camping out at Best Buy on Chinese Democracy's release day, below...

Continue reading "Guns N' Roses vs. Dr Pepper"