Hurricane Sandy is finally upon us, with the height of the storm hitting around 6 PM. Like Sunday, mass transit is closed and almost everything is cancelled. We'll update this list throughout the day but, as far as we know, the only major show still happening in NYC tonight is Swans at Music Hall of Williamsburg (though we expect a postponement announcement any minute) (Swans did play Bowery last night though). Swans is now postponed too.

Freddy's Bar says they're not closing and are even hosting an open mic.

Not sure if anyone is playing, but Pete's Candy Store "says Come & get us Sandy! We weren't afraid of Irene and we're not afraid of you! (but please don't hurt us) WE WILL BE OPEN TONIGHT. C'mon Over."

Aimee Mann & Ted Leo's show at Bowery Ballroom tonight has moved to Wednesday (10/31).

Luckily German band Fenster scheduled a lot of shows while they were here because their show last night at Shea Stadium was cancelled, and their one at Muchmore's tonight with Daytona and Hearsay & Hyperbole isn't happening either.

As mentioned yesterday, tonight's Brandi Carlile / Blitzen Trapper show at Beacon Theatre has been postponed.

Pat Kiernan Halloween trivia night at The Bell House is canceled.

John Legend's show at Cushman & Wakefield Theater at Barclay's Center was postponed a while back for non-Sandy reasons.

Cake Shop's show (Sad Ladders, Meet Me in Norway, Sewing Machines) tonight is cancelled.

Joshua Radin & A Fine Frenzy at Best Buy Theater has been postponed.

Lee DeWyze at Highline Ballroom has been canceled.

Tonight's shows at Joe's Pub are canceled.

The Rock Shop is open, but tonight's show has been canceled.

Tonight's shows at The Stone are cancelled.

As you may remember, Jimmy Kimmel Live was to be live from Brooklyn this week. The rest of the week my happen but tonight will not. Tweets Jimmy, "Though it pains us to do it, JKLfrom #Brooklyn tonight is cancelled. I'm disappointed too, but we want you to be safe."

Tonight's Reverend Vince Anderson and His Love Choir show at Union Pool has been canceled.

Mercury Lounge is closed.
Pianos is closed.
Cake Shop is closed.
Union Hall is closed.
Brooklyn Bowl is closed.
S.O.B's is closed.
The Living Room is closed.
Death by Audio is closed.
The Studio at Webster Hall is closed.(which means Brokencyde is cancelled)

Arlene's Grocery is closed.
Iridium Jazz is closed
Both the Chelsea and East Village UCB Theatres are closed.

Tonight's Schnick or Treat comedy show at Littlefield has been postponed to 11/4.

Nitehawk Cinema in Williamsburg is closed.

More coming.

Continue reading "Hurricane Sandy cancels or postpones almost all of Monday's events in NYC (even Swans)"

UPDATE: This post was mostly about Sunday. Monday's cancellations HERE.

We'll keep you posted, but at the moment, Swans @ Bowery, Sic Alps @ Knitting Factory, and the show at Cake Shop are still listed as happening. Most other Sunday night shows (and a bunch of Monday shows) we would have listed are cancelled or postponed due to Frankenstorm (Hurricane Sandy). Subways and buses stop running at 7pm which is also when people living in "Zone A" are supposed to be evacuated by.

UPDATE: The Juan Maclean's DJ set at Le Bain is also still on (as of this post) CANCELLED too.

UPDATE: The Men are playing Don Pedro.

Union Pool doesn't have a show tonight, but is open.

ASPCA reminds you: All pets are accepted on the subway, taxi and trains during evacuation.

Fontana's says, "Hey everyone - we're going to be open this evening till we can. At least 2am. All Manhattanites workin the shifts - come keep us company."

Pianos is closed.

The Living Room is closed.

Cake Shop's show is now cancelled, but they "might still be open upstairs for fun and the bored-at-home-with-only-comic-books-you-haven't-read-yet-from-the-early-2000's. Stay tuned."

Spectre Folk, who were set to open for Sic Alps, at Knitting Factory tonight "have cancelled due to weather related travel issues. The show will go on with Sic Alps and PC Worship but will end early (10pm)." Tickets are still available.

Hannibal Buress is stuck in Houston. Not sure if his Knitting Factory show is going on without him.

UCB: "Due to MTA shutdown, both ASSSSCAT 3000 shows are cancelled tonight. Refunds will be issued to ticket holders."

All shows past 5:30pm at UCB East are also cancelled.

Pretty Good Friends is cancelled at Union Hall which will also be closed Monday.

The Bell House postponed an event tonight, and sadly cancelled Monday's Pat Kiernan Halloween trivia night.

Grimes, who has been in NYC the past few nights for her sold out four-night run, was set to play her last of those shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight with Elite Gymnastics and Majical Cloudz, but due to the incoming Frankenstorm, tonight's show has been cancelled. Refunds are available at the point of purchase.

Mercury Lounge is also cancelled/closed.

Brooklyn Bowl is closing at 6pm.

The Molly Nilsson show at Glasslands tonight has been cancelled.

The xx were scheduled to play their second of two shows at the Paradise Theater tonight. They write...

Due to safety concerns related to Hurricane Sandy and the MTA shutdown in New York, we have been forced to postpone our remaining shows in New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, including tonight's show at the Paradise in the Bronx. We are working with our partners to reschedule as soon as possible, so please hang on to your tickets and we'll advise as soon as we can. We'll have another announcement coming later in the week, including information on these shows and a new run of US dates in early 2013. In the meantime, please be safe. We'll be back to see you all soon.

Villains is cancelled at Saint Vitus who write "We are closed this evening due to mandatory evacuation of "zone A". Obviously Mayor Bloomberg is not a Metal Head. We will reopen as soon as we can. In the meantime, enjoy this!"

Child Abuse at The Paper Box is cancelled.

Cat Power's Philly show at the Electric Factory has been postponed to January 2.

Brandie Carlile and Blitzen Trapper were set to play their first of two Beacon Theater shows tonight, but both tonight's show and Monday's show have been postponed.

Drom has cancelled multiple Sunday & Monday shows.

Sunday & Monday shows at Joe's Pub are cancelled.

"Due to impending hurricane, S.O.B's will be closed Monday and Tuesday. Shows will be rescheduled at a later date."

The Trey Anastasio Band show at Capitol Theater has been postponed to Monday, November 5. All tickets for tonight's show will be honored.

Louis CK was set to wrap up his run at the New York City Center tonight but has postponed the shows until March 2. Read his letter about postponing HERE.

"Pace Presents at The Schimmel Center for the Arts is disappointed to announce that, due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy on the city, our 2012 Banjo Summit with BELA FLECK tonight, Sunday October 28, has been CANCELLED. We are currently in discussions with the artists regarding rescheduling this show. More information will be released as we have it. Again, our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause. Stay safe and dry in the storm!"

Irving Plaza says, "Tonight's Xavier Rudd show is postponed. We're working on a rescheduled date, will send out info asap. Refunds avail at point of purchase."

The Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def) show at Apollo Theater, which was initially postponed to tonight from June 14, has now been cancelled.

"BAM Rose Cinemas will close today following the 4:40 screening of Argo. The cinemas will remain closed tomorrow and possibly Tuesday."

Blue Oyster Cult at Best Buy Theater is postponed.

Maxwell's says, "tonight's show with Ours has been postponed to Sunday, December 2nd. all tickets will be honored and refunds are available as well."

Carnegie Hall's Sunday & Monday shows are cancelled or postponed.

City Winery says, "Due to the inclimate weather in the New York area and the suspension of all major travel services tonight's (10/28/12) Shawn Colvin concert has been cancelled. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. The show has been rescheduled for February 3, 2013. In addition the Eric Hutchinson show scheduled for Monday, 10/29/12 has also been cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date."

If you had been planning on celebrating Halloween with Rusko at Pacha tonight, you'll have to settle for spending New Year's with him. Tonight's show has been postponed until December 30.

UPDATE: This post was mostly about Sunday. Monday's cancellations HERE.

Blitzen Trapper at the Newport Folk Fest 2012 (more by Jessica Amaya)

Portland folkies Blitzen Trapper are gearing up for a North American tour, part of which will see them open for The Head & the Heart, and part with Brandi Carlile. It's with the latter that will bring them to NYC for two shows at The Beacon Theatre on October 28 and 29. Tickets to those shows are on sale now.

Blitzen Trapper's most recent album on Sub Pop is last year's American Goldwing and you can watch a couple videos from that record below. All tour dates are listed below as well.

Continue reading "Blitzen Trapper touring, opening for Brandi Carlile in NYC after dates with The Head and the Heart"

photos by Jessica Amaya

Wilco at Newport - 7/27/12

Newport Folk Festival went down over the weekend (7/28-29), but before things kicked into full gear, a pre-show went down on Friday (7/27) with sets from Wilco (who were just in NYC), Blitzen Trapper, and Megafaun. Wilco played a two hour set with included "Christ for President" from Mermaid Avenue and brought Woody Guthrie's granddaughter out for the encore.

If you missed the show, maybe you streamed it live. If you missed that too, you can listen to archives of Wilco's set, Blitzen Trapper's set, and Megafaun's set at NPR.

More pictures and Wilco's setlist from the Newport Folk Fest pre-show below.

Continue reading "Wilco, Blitzen Trapper & Megafaun played the Newport Folk Fest pre-show (pics, setlist & audio stream)"

photos by Chris Graham and Rae Graham

Jack White/The Roots

The one galvanizing main-stage performance at the Sasquatch festival this year was Jack White's weapons-grade electric guitar soloing on Saturday. Otherwise, it was by the book in the best possible sense. Thousands of people gathered peacefully and everything was on schedule.

The festival, which ended Monday with a performance by Beck, featured dozens of live rock, rap, electronic music and comedy acts packing five stages for four days over the sunny Memorial Day weekend...

...Oakland's Tune-Yards mesmerized at the Bigfoot Stage Saturday. Leader Merrill Garbus faced the full yellow sun and belted out powerful melodies in her alto voice that seemed beamed in from African radio. She used looping pedals to blend the vocals with drums and modified ukulele, which she also played live. But her bassist and jazz horn players sent the music through the roof, chipping in on junkyard percussion -- dented pieces of metal hit with drum sticks. [Seattle Times]

Continue reading "Sasquatch 2012 in pics - Day 2, Part 1 (Jack White, The Roots, tUnE-yArDs, Purity Ring, Alabama Shakes, Kurt Vile and more)"

The 2012 music lineup was announced today for Bumbershoot: Seattle's Music & Arts Festival, which is produced by non-profit arts organization One Reel and takes place over Labor Day weekend, Sept. 1-3, at Seattle Center. The 42-year-old urban festival stands on top nationally in its variety as it showcases both familiar and up-and-coming regional and national talent in many musical genres, as well as in comedy, theater, literary and visual arts, dance, film and children's programming.

Bumbershoot's Mainstage in KeyArena will feature two multi-act performances each day. Artists scheduled to perform there include groundbreaking alternative rock band Jane's Addiction, jazz legend Tony Bennett, electronic phenom Skrillex, a hip hop double bill with Mac Miller and Big Sean, M83, and AWOLNATION among others. Additional Mainstage acts will be announced in coming weeks.

Tickets are all-inclusive. All festival offerings, including Mainstage admission on a first-come, first-served basis (no separate pass required), and late-night electronic music curated by Decibel Festival for Bumbershoot After Dark, are included in the price of a single-day or 3-day ticket

Continue reading "Bumbershoot 2012 lineup (Jane's Addiction, Tony Bennett & Skrillex are the headliners)"

Blitzen Trapper at Webster Hall in 2011 (more by Kurt Christensen)

Portland folk rockers Blitzen Trapper, who just celebrated their 12th anniversary as a band, have added dates surrounding their run with Wilco, who they also play a pre-Newport Folk Festival show with. The new dates include a free'Concerts on the Oval' show at NYC's Stuyvesant Town Oval on July 14 and a not-free, Brooklyn show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on July 15. Tickets for the MHOW go on sale Friday (4/27) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (4/25) at noon. All dates are listed below.

The band just made a video for "Stranger in a Strange Land" off their 2011 LP, American Goldwing. The video was created by filmmaker Luke Norby and Blitzen Trapper drummer Brian Adrian Koch. You can watch it below.

They also released a Record Store Day 7" with a cover of "Hey Joe" and the previously unreleased Blitzen Trapper song, "Skirts on Fire." Sub Pop pressed a limited 1,800 copies of the 7" on yellow vinyl. It's currently going for pretty cheap on eBay and you can try your luck with some of the downloads that are out there. Stream "Skirts on Fire" here.

All dates and video below...

Continue reading "Blitzen Trapper tour includes a free NYC show in Stuy Town (updated 2012 dates)"

Wilco in Chicago (more by Matt Ziegler)

Wilco dates have been popping up here and there, but are now part of a fully announced tour that happens in May, June, July and August.

East Coast shows currently start on July 21st when Wilco join The Avett Brothers, Dr. Dog for a Philadelphia-area show that is part of the three-day 2012 XPoNential Music Festival in Camden, sort of...

The XPoNential Music Festival presented by Subaru, now in its 8th year at Wiggins Park on the Camden Waterfront, regularly features an eclectic lineup of established stars and emerging artists on two stages over three days. This year, we're excited to expand our festival grounds into the Susquehanna Bank Center as part of the festival on Saturday, July 21 for all of our 3-Day Pass holders. Every 3-Day Pass to the XPoNential Music Festival presented by Subaru includes one lawn seat admission to the Wilco/The Avett Brothers/Dr. Dog show on Saturday, July 21 at Susquehanna Bank Center.

Wilco then don't have anything scheduled for a few days (for now?) and then hit the Newport Folk Festival which they were recently added to, sort of. The Rhode Island Wilco show is a Friday night show with Blitzen Trapper & Megafaun while the rest of the festival takes place on Saturday and Sunday. The Wilco show goes on sale Friday at 11am.

Wilco also currently have shows scheduled in Cooperstown, Hartford, Rochester, and everywhere listed, but not NYC (yet?), below...

Continue reading "Wilco announce tour dates including XPoNential Music Festival in Camden & Newport Folk Fest (dates)"

"Following last year's 10th anniversary, which crushed previous attendance records and set a new mark for the speed with which tickets sold out, the Sasquatch! Music Festival unveils its 2012 lineup which once again features 4 days of music. The festival, hailed as "a model of well-paced programming...in a four-day schedule as efficient and natural feeling as an expertly built algorithm" by NPR Music while Wired notes, "leave the landscape out of it and Sasquatch! has a lineup to kill for," runs May 25-28 (Memorial Day Weekend) at The Gorge, the internationally acclaimed concert venue carved in the basalt cliffs high above the Columbia River Gorge in Quincy, WA."

Continue reading "Sasquatch! 2012 lineup announced (Bon Iver, Jack White, Beck, Tenacious D, Shins, Portlandia, Spiritualized & more) "

Primus at Roseland (more by Kurt Christensen)

Primus recently announced a MHOW show happening on February 8. Tickets went on sale last week and are now sold out. They've since added another NYC show happening one day later at Gramercy Theatre (2/9). The show is a benefit for Les Claypool's nephew Matthew who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) and at 2 months old was admitted into the hospital. All proceeds from the show will go toward his medical bills. Tickets for this show go on sale at noon today (11/26).

If you are unable to get tickets to the show before it sells out, but would still like to donate in support of Matthew, you can do so at www.babymatthew.org.

Primus were also recently announced on the lineup of the 2012 Wakarusa Festival which goes down in Ozark, Arkansas from Mary 31-June 3. The jam band-heavy fest also will host sets by Girl Talk, Fitz & the Tantrums, Gary Clark Jr., Daedelus, Tinariwen, Blitzen Trapper and more. Full list below.

Our thoughts go out to Matthew and his family. Updated Primus dates, the Wakarusa lineup, and more about Matthew below...

Continue reading "Primus schedules another small NYC show for Matthew, playing Wakarusa Fest (initial lineup announced)"

photos by Kurt Christensen

Dawes headlined a sold out show at Webster Hall last night (10/27). Both Blitzen Trapper & Smoke Fairies opened the show which was part of a tour that lasts through mid November. Pictures from the NYC show are in this post, Halloween decorations included.

Dawes will return to the area by themselves to play three shows in December. First up is the annual WFUV Holiday Cheer show at Beacon Theater on December 5th with the massive lineup of Dawes, Mavis Staples and The Head And The Heart. That should sell out quick when tickets go on general sale Friday (10/28) at noon. Dawes will spend the next two days at the more intimate Maxwell's in Hoboken. Tickets are on sale now for December 6th and December 7th. Dawes play New Year's Eve in Minneapolis.

More pictures from Webster Hall below...

Continue reading "Dawes played Webster Hall w/ Blitzen Trapper & Smoke Fairies (pics), announce 3 December NYC-area shows (dates)"

Dawes at Bowery Ballroom in March (more by Ryan Barkan)

Dawes and Blitzen Trapper are going on a co-headlining tour with support from Smoke Fairies and The Belle Brigade on select dates. Tickets will go on presale via each of the bands this Friday (8/5) at 10 AM. All dates are listed below.

The tour hits NYC on October 26 at Webster Hall with Smoke Fairies. Tickets for that show go on general sale Friday (8/12) at noon with an AmEx pre-sale starting Wednesday (8/3) at noon.

Meanwhile catch Dawes in NYC TONIGHT (8/2) when they open for Alison Krauss at Beacon Theater like they do on the rest of her tour.

Catch Smoke Fairies sooner when they hit Rockwood Music Hall on August 22nd. An updated set of summer dates for them is listed below.

Dawes and Blitzen Trapper are also giving away a 6-song split EP in honor of the tour, which you can grab, alongside all dates, below.

Continue reading "Dawes & Blitzen Trapper going on tour w/ Smoke Fairies & others (dates)"

Here is the initial lineup for Willamette Week's MusicfestNW, scheduled for Sept. 7-11, 2011 in Portland, Oregon, and it's pretty great. The multi-venue fest includes big outdoor performances by Band of Horses (Sunday, Sept. 11), Explosions in the Sky (Saturday, Sept. 10), and Iron & Wine (Friday, Sept. 9), in addition to shows with everyone from Archers of Loaf to Big Freedia to Butthole Surfers to Neurosis. Tickets go on sale Friday, June 3rd. Check out the full list below...

Continue reading "MusicfestNW 2011 -- dates & initial lineup"

photos by Chris Gersbeck

I have a friend who, despite my attempts to proselytize, doesn't much care for the songs from Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes. He thinks they're catchy, sure - only a hopeless misanthrope or a space alien wouldn't - but he doesn't like the feel of those lo-fi songs: recored on four-track and cut up and reassembled, swathed in abrasive sound.

I've tried to tell him that in concert, those transistor-radio mini anthems, drawing on Pollard's "four P's" (pop, punk, prog, and psych), are utterly transformed into pure, pummeling, lung-busting ROCK. They are writ large and loud with beer-fueled bombast.

And so it was: 840 people pumped fists and held lighters aloft, shouting along in unison to the Beatle-esque "Echos Myron," the leering "Hot Freaks," the light-speed "Shocker in Gloomtown," the snotty call-and-response of "Lethargy," the euphoric "Gold Star for Robot Boy." -[The Phoenix]

Continue reading "Guided by Voices & Blitzen Trapper @ Terminal 5 (pics) "

words by Chris Gersbeck

Guided By Voices at Terminal 5 (photo by Schnappy Star)

Well that was certainly a show I'll never forget. As any hardcore Guided By Voices fan will tell you, the short period from 1993-96 when Robert Pollard's long-running titular band released Propeller, Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes and Under The Bushes, Under The Stars is regarded as their shining moment. So an entire tour revolving around those albums, classic lineup intact, is pretty much the greatest thing ever. Needless to say, everyone at Terminal 5 last night was ecstatic.

Sub Pop's Blitzen Trapper opened the show at 8pm with their set of twangy indie folk-rock. The six-member Portland, Oregon based group sounded as happy to be there as anyone, noting that their tour with GBV has been amazing, and they were clearly a well-rehearsed and talented act. Playing to an already packed crowd of anxious fans may not get you an uproarious response, but the band kept it short and was finished by 8:35pm. And so the GBV chanting began...

Pollard and co. kept us waiting until 9:20pm, when suddenly all the lights went out and a collage of random talk-radio recordings went on for what seemed forever, sometimes repeating "guided by voices", which incited mass cheering. At long last, the neon sign stating "The Club Is Open" lit up and the cigarette-toking, tequila and beer-swilling Guided By Voices took the stage.

The band wasted no time hitting the classics, opening with "Tractor Rape Chain", "Game of Pricks" and "I Am A Scientist". But let's face it, all of their songs are classics. The vibrant crowd sang along throughout most of the performance, quite a few singing along to every lyric of every track. And let me say that if you haven't sung "A Salty Salute" along with 3,000 other Guided By Voices fans, it's pretty fucking fun. Guitarist Mitch Mitchell was never without a lit cigarette in his mouth, and bassist Greg Demos made motions like the rock stars they arguably never actually were. Hearing Kevin Fennell's drums in such fidelity, especially on songs like "My Valuable Hunting Knife" and "A Good Flying Bird" where full drums were missing from the lo-fi recordings, breathed new life into the band's prolific catalog.

Notable mention must also go to Tobin Sprout, whose contribution to this material has always been highly regarded. His and Pollard's vocal harmonies on "Awful Bliss" and "14 Cheerleader Coldfront" were absolutely pitch-perfect, even more reminiscent of Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey than ever before. Pollard's microphone twirling and high kicks do even more to perpetuate the comparison to the Who, and I've personally always thought of GBV as the band the Who could've been had they recorded solely on 4-track cassette and not achieved such success. But I digress. It really was great to see Sprout back on stage with this band.

As Pollard chugged from his bottle of tequila throughout the night, coming back for three encores, he never once sounded off key or tired, or hell, even intoxicated, despite practically being carried off the stage at the end. Would I have liked to have heard later songs like "I Am A Tree" or "Glad Girls"? Maybe. But that's not what this tour is about. In Pollard's own words towards the end of the show, after Under the Bushes, Under the Stars, "everything sort of went downhill." Though that is debatable (didn't Bob once say that GBV hadn't even peaked yet around 2003?), one thing is clear: the band that played last night is without a doubt the definitive Guided By Voices. And if you're questioning whether it's worth trying to get into to the New Year's Eve show at Irving Plaza, all I can say is that if last night was any indication, you are really missing out if you don't.

Pictures are coming later. Check out the setlist and a video below...

Continue reading "Guided by Voices played Terminal 5 (video & setlist) "

Over a month after they play the sold out Matador Festival in Las Vegas, the reunited classic lineup of Guided by Voices will end a tour with a show at Terminal 5. The November 7th NYC date will be opened by Blitzen Trapper and tickets go on sale July 23rd at noon.

And it ends up the tour will actually be kicked off on September 30th at East Side Drive in Austin (two nights before they play the Matador fest). All dates are being opened by either Times New Viking or Blitzen Trapper. On November 4th, GbV will make an appearance on the Jimmy Fallon show. All dates and on-sale times, below...

Continue reading "Guided by Voices (classic lineup) - 2010 reunion tour dates"

Blitzen Trapper @ Bonnaroo (hshuldman)

Blitzen Trapper's current tour brought them through Bonnaroo, and to Webster Hall in NYC last night (6/16). Tonight, 6/17, they'll appear on Letterman, but first you can catch them live as the special musical guest at Celebrate Brooklyn's free ($3 suggested donation) comedy show in Prospect Park. Also appearing tonight at the bandshell: comedians: Eugene Mirman, Michael Showalter, John Hodgman, Jerry Minor, Kumail Nanjiani, and Janeane Garofalo. The show starts at 8pm. Gates open at 7.

"The 2010 Lollapalooza line-up is official: Soundgarden, Green Day, Lady Gaga, Arcade Fire, The Strokes, and Phoenix will headline, joined by Social Distortion, MGMT, Jimmy Cliff, Hot Chip, and The Black Keys. With 130 bands on this year's bill, its sure to be a weekend long feast for the ears.

It's a monumental year for Lollapalooza, filled with homecomings, reunions, and first-times. Soundgarden, 1992 and 1996 Lollapalooza alumni, return to the Lollapalooza stage for their first performance since 1997. Green Day will rock Grant Park sixteen years after their first Lollapalooza appearance. While Lady Gaga will headline the festival only three short years after playing the BMI stage at Lollapalooza 2007.

Arcade Fire returns to Grant Park, having played the reincarnated Lollapalooza in 2005. This is the first Lollapalooza for The Strokes - and also their first show in four years. And making their Lollapalooza debut: Phoenix." - Lollapalooza

Continue reading "Lollapalooza actually announces 2010 lineup "

Newport Folk Festival 2009 (more by Jim Brueckner)

Newport Folk Festival will be happening again at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island, on July 31st and August 1st. The fest will also host a Friday night show on July 30th at the International Tennis Hall of Fame at Newport Casino.

The lineup so far includes Levon Helm's Ramble on the Road, John Prine, Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers, Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket, The Swell Season, Andrew Bird, The Avett Brothers, Brandi Carlile, Doc Watson & David Holt, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Calexico, Blitzen Trapper, Richie Havens, Sam Bush, The Low Anthem, Tim O'Brien, The Felice Brothers, Justin Townes Earle, Tao Seeger Band, A.A. Bondy, The Punch Brothers with Chris Thile, Dawes, Nneka, Horse Feathers, Pokey LaFarge & the South City Three, Ben Sollee & Daniel Martin Moore, Sarah Jarosz, Cory Chisel & the Wandering Sons, O'Death and Liz Longley.

Tickets are on sale.

Here are pictures from DAY ONE and DAY TWO of last year's fest. Videos from last year and the list of the artists playing this year, by day, is below...

Continue reading "Newport Folk Fest 2010 - initial lineup, dates & tickets "

DOWNLOAD: Blitzen Trapper - Heaven & Earth (new MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Blitzen Trapper - Black River Killer (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Blitzen Trapper - Gold For Bread (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Blitzen Trapper - Fur (MP3)

Blitzen Trapper will release a new album, Destroyer of the Void, June 8th on Sub Pop.

"During two distant and brief breaks from the band's near-incessant touring for Furr--one in January 2009 and the other in January 2010--Earley and a few of his bandmates entered the attic studio of the lauded Portland musician and studio engineer who had recorded Furr standouts "Lady on the Water" and "Black River Killer," Mike Coykendall (Bright Eyes, M Ward, She & Him). In those two winters, in that old attic, Coykendall worked with Earley to bring life to these songs, including material the songwriter had been working on for years, most notably the piano ballad "Sadie." The producer wasn't the only local luminary to fill out the album. Preternatural musical siblings Peter Broderick (Horse Feathers, Efterklang) and Heather Woods Broderick (Efterklang) wrote the album's string arrangements, while folk standout Alela Diane lent her angelic vocals to the duet "The Tree."" - Sub Pop

On June 2nd they kick off a tour that brins them to Webster Hall in NYC on the 16th. Tickets go on sale Friday at noon. All dates below too...

Continue reading "Blitzen Trapper - new album, MP3, 2010 Tour Dates"

After a hectic day of updating the constantly updating Bonnaroo lineup page, the entire thing has been announced. Gwar, Norah Jones, and the rest of the lineup below...

Continue reading "the complete 2010 Bonnaroo lineup (Stevie Wonder, The Melvins, Kings of Leon, Isis, Local Natives & many more) "

DOWNLOAD: Portland Cello Project - Travel (feat. Justin Power) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Portland Cello Project - Tallymarks (feat. Thao) (MP3)

Thao With The Get Down Stay Down @ BV party - SXSW 09 (more by Leia Jospe)

Thao with the Get Down Stay Down will be playing a show at the Bowery Ballroom on Wednesday, November 4th. Tickets go on AmEx presale Wednesday, August 26th at noon. General sale starts Friday, August 28th at noon.

That show will include sets from David Schultz and the Portland Cello Project, the latter of which collaborated with Thao on their most recent album, The Thao and Justin Power Sessions, that came out on June 9th on Kill Rock Stars. Two tracks from that, one with Thao and one with Justin Power, are posted above.

"Portland Cello Project, in case you're unfamiliar, is an amazing group of cellists that, in the course of one of their epic 2-3 hour shows - (the format of which is always a one-time affair - the group writes almost entirely new arrangements for every performance cycle) - perform a crazy diverse array of everything from canonized and avant classical compositions to reconstructed pop covers of everything from Nintendo game themes to Britney Spears to Yoko Ono to R. Kelly--and they've accompanied The Builders and The Butchers, Laura Gibson, The Dandy Warhols, Mirah, Loch Lomond, Horse Feathers and tons of other indyish folks. At shows, you'll see hipsters too-cool-for-school mesmerized by Arvo Paert, members of the Decemberists playing late 19th century Russian compositions transcribed for Hammond Organ, a 40-piece choir, and all kinds of other craziness."

Tune-Yards recently signed to 4AD and has a show coming up at Music Hall of Williamsburg soon.

The Thao-Bowery show is part of a soon-to-be-announced (we think) larger tour. Those dates with album info are below...

Continue reading "Thao With The Get Down Stay Down & Portland Cello Project - new albums & shows (Bowery Ballroom) "

DOWNLOAD: Blitzen Trapper - Black River Killer (MP3)

Blitzen Trapper @ the 2009 Sasquatch Festival (5/25) (more by Chris Graham)

Blitzen Trapper is releasing a new EP called Black River Killer on August 25th and it features the song "Black River Killer" from their full length Furr as well as 6 more songs that have been, up to now, only available as a CDR that they've been selling at their live performances for the past year or so. Get it and make sure to check out the Black River Killer video by Daniel Elkayam that came out earlier this year. [Sub Pop]

Blitzen Trapper tours Europe through the end of September. Shortly afterward, the band kicks off a fall tour starting in their hometown of Portland, OR. Accompanying Blitzen on nearly all of its dates will be Baltimore's Wye Oak. That includes the band's Sunday, October 11th show at the Bowery Ballroom. Tickets go on AmEx presale Wednesday, August 12th at noon; general sale starts Friday at noon.

Wye Oak was just at XX Merge on July 26th. They have their own European jaunt planned for September, but before that, Wye Oak will play the Bowery Ballroom on August 12th with Starlight Mints and JP Inc (formerly Pleaseeasaur). Tickets are still on sale.

All tour dates, and the above-mentioned video and EP info are below...

Continue reading "Blitzen Trapper - EP, MP3 & 2009 tour dates (Bowery) w/ Wye Oak (who also play Bowery this Wednesday) "

Suckers @ Prospect Park earlier this month (more by Natasha Ryan)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Maluca @ Santos
* Zé Luis Quartet @ MoMA
* Todd Barry @ Carolines
* Megafaun @ Monkey Town
* MC Lyte @ Von King Park
* Dark Dark Dark @ Sycamore
* Dwele, Leela James @ BB Kings
*I Need That Record (film) @ 92YTribeca
* The Click Five @ Rocks Off Boat Cruise
* Bonnie Baxter, Beloved Rogue @ Shea Stadium
* Titus Andronicus, The So-So Glos @ Glasslands
* PG Six, Zachary Cale, Rachel Mason @ Union Pool
* Matisyahu, Umphrey's McGee @ Central Park Summerstage
* Title Tracks, The Nouvellas, Charles Burst @ The Cameo
* The Drums, Living Days, Zambri, Kordan @ Public Assembly
* Chris Garneau, The Lisps, Scary Mansion @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* Suckers, The Octagon, Hearts of Darknesses, Etta Place @ Pianos
* Midsummer Night Swing w/ Woody Herman Orchestra @ Lincoln Center
* GrandWizzard Theodore, PopMaster Fabel, Biz Markie @ Crotona Park
* Matt & Kim, Flosstradamus, Team Robespierre @ Hudson River Rocks Pier 54
* Jon Wiley Benefit w/ Chairlift, Adam Green, Lightspeed Champion @ The Shank
* Those Darlins, Heavy Trash, Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers @ Mercury Lounge
* Mia Riddle, Bon Savants, Patrick Bower & The World Without Magic @ The Bell House
* NY Ear & Eye Fest w/ Nymph, Religious To Damn, Hunters, Dinowalrus, more @ Knitting Factory
* Latin Alternative Music Conference w/ Leon Polar, Natalia Lafourcade, more @ Bowery Ballroom
* Mewithoutyou, The Dear Hunter, Kay Kay & His Weathered Underground @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Free Brooklyn Lager from 7:30- 8:30 at the Bell House.

Matt & Kim play a free outdoor show tonight, the first of this summer's HudsonRiverRocks series. That'll bring Ted Leo and Yeasayer in the coming weeks. Opening tonight's show are Team Robespierre and Flosstradamus (whose remix of Matt & Kim's "Yea Yeah" is below with other, revealing M&K vidoes).

GrandWizzard Theodore, PopMaster Fabel and Biz Markie play a free Park Jams show
at Crotona Park in the Bronx. Luminescent Orchestrii performs a free River to River set at World Financial Center Plaza. MC Lyte plays in Von King Park. At the Central Park Summerstage, Matisyahu and Umphrey's McGee play a ticketed show.

"Four cemetery workers have been charged with dismembering bodies after police found what they called "startling and revolting" conditions at a historic cemetery near Chicago." [AP]

Titus Andronicus and The So So Glos play a free-with-RSVP, limited-capacity show hosted by Colt 45 & Vice at Glasslands tonight. See a video of Titus "Shotgunnin' Burrs" with The Soft Pack on their UK tour together, below.

The Drums, who will be gigging in NYC a lot this summer, play Public Assembly tonight with Living Days, Zambri and Kordan.

Suckers begin their four-Thursday Pianos residency with guests The Octagon, Hearts of Darknesses and Etta Place.

Chairlift, Adam Green, Lightspeed Champion and others play a benefit for local musician Jon Wiley at The Shank.

In a nice triple bill, Those Darlins, Heavy Trash and Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers all perform at the Mercury Lounge tonight.

Megafaun, who opened for Bowerbirds last night, plays Monkey Town tonight with a "special guest."

The NY Ear & Eye Fest II kicks off tonight at the Knitting Factory. The fest includes a record fair/concert at the 92YTribeca on Saturday and a closing party at Death By Audio Sunday night. 92Y is sceening record store doc I Need That Record tonight with filmmaker Brendan Toller in attendance.

"Google says that its forthcoming Chrome operating system will be so secure that "users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates." But Google's claim is being met with skepticism within the Internet security world." [PC World]

The Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing fest continues tonight with the Woody Herman Orchestra directed by Frank Tiberi at Damrosch Park.

10 bands play for $10 tomorrow at Terminal 5.

The first free Williamsburg Waterfront show is this Sunday.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart plays South Street Seaport on Friday.

Title Tracks, which is John Davis formerly of Q and Not U, plays the Cameo Gallery with The Nouvellas and Charles Burst.

Blitzen Trapper's new video for "Black River Killer", below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

photos by Chris Graham

Erykah Badu

Day 1, Day 2, and the rest of the pictures from this year's festival...

Continue reading "Sasquatch 2009 - Day 3 in pics (NSFW)"