photos by Chris Gersbeck, words by Rachel Kowal

"Modest Mouse without a cloud in the sky!" -rojacaliente

"If this were Make A Wish and you were going to die in 20 min, just long enough to play Freebird, we wouldnt play it -Modest Mouse" -georgeferris

"Modest Mouse is testing my love for them by keeping the kid awake with their heavy bass and drumming two blocks away. /fistshaking" -woolyknickers

Lightning may have shut down Modest Mouse in July, but for last night's rescheduled show, the weather was nearly perfect (if not a bit chilly).

This time, the opener was the Americana singer/songwriter Marcellus Hall and his backing band. The pairing was a bit odd. Modest Mouse prompted people to shout along to every song and to rush the stage. Marcellus Hall's performance had people turning around to admire the setting sun over the Manhattan skyline and leaving polite pockets of space throughout the crowd.

After Marcellus Hall's relatively short set, the anticipation for the headliners steadily grew, but more than thirty minutes passed before they marched on stage. As if making up for their severely truncated show last July, Modest Mouse then played a lengthy set - nearly 2 hours long when you factor in the encore.

"Welcome back!" Isaac Brock said by way of introduction. They kicked off the show with "Gravity Rides Everything." Taking no time to get into the show, the crowd enthusiastically sang along from the opening verse. (fittingly, the song contains the line, "Everything will fall right into place.") Isaac Brock hardly talked between songs. He didn't need to. The audience was wholly engaged. Each song was met by cheers and triumphantly extended fists. After all, for many of the people present, this was take two.

From "Cowboy Dan" to "Autumn Beds," the band pulled songs from throughout their career and readily switched between the more raucous and reserved. The pump organ, banjo, glockenspiel, accordion, and trumpet made regular guest appearances that nicely punctuated the set and revealed the surprisingly decent sound quality. The stage lights - which were absent during opening set - certainly helped to set the mood for Modest Mouse.

The band closed their initial set with "The View," leaving the audience with the soothing sound of electronic crickets to underlie their cries for more. After an unusually long wait (10 minutes), they returned for another five(ish) songs before finally concluding just short of 10:00, saying, "Thank you all very much. Have a good night" and delivering a PSA discouraging "driving while drinking and drinking while driving." Luckily, Brock didn't say anything about smoking and riding the subway.

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Isaac Brock and gang have one set of shows left on their calendar, on October 23rd and 24th at Shoreline Ampitheater in Mountain View, CA as part of the annual Bridge School Benefit. The band will join a reformed Buffalo Springfield. Pearl Jam, Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams, T-Bone Burnett's Speaking Clock Revue (with Elton John & Leon Russell, Elvis Costello, Ralph Stanley, Neko Case and Jeff Bridges, they play NYC on 10/20), and Grizzly Bear among others.

The Bridge School Benefit lineup by day, more Waterfront pics and the Modest Mouse setlist is below...

Continue reading "Modest Mouse played Williamsburg Waterfront again (pics, setlist), playing Bridge School Benefit in CA (lineup)"

by Andrew Frisicano

Billy Idol band 2010

Billy Idol will be taking on a fairly massive world tour this summer and into the fall. He goes across Russia and Europe in June and July before playing North America shows in August and September. Billy will be at NYC's Hammerstein Ballroom on Wednesday, September 15th. Tickets are on sale.

Two days later (9/17) he plays House of Blues in Atlantic City (tickets TBA). For all the upcoming dates, he'll have some new band members in tow.

In addition to his longtime guitarist Steve Stevens, Stephen McGrath on bass and Derek Sherinian on keyboards, Billy Idol will be joined this year by acclaimed guitarist Billy Morrison and drummer Jeremy Colson. Morrison, one of the founders of Camp Freddy and front man for Circus Diablo, has previously played in The Cult, Stimulator, Doheny and Into a Circle, while Colson (Morrison's collaborator in Circus Diablo) is known for his work with Steve Vai, with whom he's worked since 2002.

How will the show be? If the live video of "White Wedding" posted below is any indication, Billy's voice has taken some hits over the years (and the 'lounge' version of "Rebel Yell" will hopefully stay retired). The full band rendition of "Rebel Yell" fares quite a bit better though. Those videos and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Billy Idol announces 2010 tour dates"

the view from the Bonnaroo ferris wheel - June 12, 2008 (cred)

As usual, Madonna added more shows at MSG than she originally announced. Tickets are on sale for the fourth one.

Keeping with the 80's theme (mainstream 80's), Billy Idol tickets are on sale.

Not mainstream (not even 80's) (they broke up in '79): Teenage Jesus & The Jerks are playing their reunion shows tonight.

The Fratellis play Webster Hall in NYC tonight (June 13). They also play a free show at the Virgin Megastore in Union Square at 12:30 pm THIS AFTERNOON. You might have already seen that listed on the free events calendar.

Also on the free events calendar: where to get free Trojan condoms in NYC until 2pm today, where in Brooklyn you'll find a Pride festival tomorrow, and what free shows are happening at BAM this weekend.

I thought it would be a good game to try and see every single concert that brings me back to the 80's this summer. I already failed by missing Duran Duran at Summerstage, and the Cyndi Lauper shows at Jones Beach and Radio City, and I'll probably continue to fail by not actually going to most of these: George Michael, Boy George, Bruce Springsteen, Aimee Mann, New Kids on the Block, Yaz, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and The Human League. I did sorta go see Madonna though, but that doesn't count because she only played newer songs.

I knew something besides Michael Jackson was missing from my list though, but not anymore. Billy Idol is playing Hammerstein Ballroom on August 26th and 27th. Tickets go on sale (for one of them at least) Friday @ 10am. All tour dates below....

Continue reading "Billy Idol - 2008 Tour Dates - a very 80's summer (continued)"