Prepare yourself, the previously discussed CBGB movie is a reailty and on the way. No distributor or release date yet, but there is a poster, which is above. It's a little hard to see shrunk down here but there's a much bigger version over at the movie's Facebook page.

The film stars Alan Rickman (you know, Hans Gruber from Die Hard) as CB's owner Hilly Kristal, which is a check in the "could be good" category... but then there's Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins as Iggy Pop, Malin Ackerman as Debbie Harry, and, um, Rupert Grint (aka Ron Weasley) as Rocket From the Tombs' Cheetah Chrome. Donal Logue, Johnny Galecki and Bradley Whitford are also in this thing. If the poster is any indication, it'll be a wacky comedy?

photos by Chris La Putt, words by Andrew Sacher

Guided by Voices/Cloud Nothings

One of the many shows that went down in NYC this past weekend as part of the CBGB Festival was the big, free day show at Central Park Summerstage on Saturday (7/7) with Guided by Voices, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The War On Drugs, and Cloud Nothings. Despite the heat wave that hit NYC over the weekend, many braved the high temperatures to catch this stacked show, which was pretty packed from start to finish. Presumably because it was a 4-band bill and was a day show, the openers got pretty short sets, but nonetheless all four bands were great and little time was wasted.

Cloud Nothings kicked off the day at 3 PM with a 5-song set that relied entirely on this year's Attack on Memory. Considering how short the set was, they did manage to keep things pretty varied. Between "Separation," the interlude they prefaced it with, and the extended jam of "Wasted Days," about half of their set was instrumental, and they balanced that with the album's two poppiest tracks, "Stay Useless" and "Fall In." A hot sunny day in central park isn't exactly the appropriate place for a mosh pit or anything, but there was a good amount of dancing and singing along, especially during the closing screams of "Wasted Days."

Then The War on Drugs cooled things off with their breezy folk rock, opening strong with Slave Ambient standout, "Baby Missiles." The band's floaty atmospheres can get pretty meandering (in a good way), but are always grounded by the band's relentlessly upbeat drummer. They work in nice touches of noise and ambience, most notably doing so when the bassist played a droning trumpet through an effect laden mic before going into the anthemic "Come to the City."

Up next were The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, who immediately woke up the lazy, sweat-dripping crowd with a super energetic set, kickstarted by the driving "Heaven's Gonna Happen Now." Frontman Kip Berman doesn't let up for the entire show, rocking out through every song while bearing a spot-on delivery. They played a pretty solid mix of material off both full lengths, all of which were bright pop blasts, delivered even clearer and bigger than the increased lo-to-mid-fi production on the newer album. The band, who on Saturday were augmented by Connor from The Drums on second guitar, didn't really hit any low points and played through tons of favorites like "Young Adult Friction," "Heart In Your Heartbreak," and more.

The show wrapped up with the much-anticipated headlining set by Guided by Voices which came after multiple crowd chants of "GBV, GBV, GBV!" The band, whose influential brand of lo-fi was responsible for helping to set the groundwork that all three of the opening bands heavily work into their sound, walked on stage, cigarettes in hand, and in extremely high spirits for the appreciative crowd. They focused their set mostly on material off of their two 2012 full lengths, Let's Go Eat the Factory and Class Clown Spots a UFO, their first two albums since 2004. Because of GBV's notoriously short songs, they only took about ten minutes to bang out the same amount of songs that the opening bands played in their entire sets, and both the band and the crowd were really into it. Robert Pollard's playful stage banter was intact (he said something about how during his last Central Park show he got in trouble for throwing beer cans into the audience) and the band's on-stage demeanor was just as lively, complete with split kicks from guitarist Mitch Mitchell, and the head-nodding, singing-along bassist, Greg Demos.

More pictures from the Central Park show, including one of GBV's setlist, are below...

Continue reading "Guided by Voices, Pains of Being Pure at Heart, War on Drugs & Cloud Nothings played CBGB Fest at Summerstage (pics)"

The CBGB Festival starts today (7/5) and runs through Sunday (7/8) at over 30 venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn. We've known that they were staging a big outdoor Times Square concert on Saturday (7/7) for a little while and guessed that Superchunk, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and The Hold Steady were going play it. The whole lineup has since been confirmed. Superchunk, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and The Hold Steady are in fact playing, and they'll be joined by Duff McKagan's Loaded, Upper West, Zulu Wave and GLINT. The stages will be on Broadway at 46th Street & 51st Street and the free show runs from noon to 6 PM this Saturday (7/7). In addition to the music there will be food, drinks, music shop booths, and music themed activities for people of all ages.

As mentioned, the festival kicks off today and Krist Novoselic will give the keynote speech at Landmark Sunshine Cinema at noon. Update: That happened. here's a picture:

Krist Novoselic giving keynote speech (photo via A.M. Saddler)

There's tons of other shows at CBGB Festival too, like the big lineup of punk veterans playing Bowery Electric tonight (7/5), which Richard Lloyd unfortunately had to drop off. Fidlar plays The Studio at Webster Hall tonight (7/5) with The Pinz, The Suicide Bitches, and The Wicked Tomorrow (tickets). Plus, there's many more too.

Most of the other shows during CBGB Fest do cost money, and you can either buy tickets for individual shows (if not already sold out) or buy a music pass ($89). The full schedule with set times is online. There's also a film festival going on (schedule), panel discussions, and a "spirits festival."

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah in Philly in 2011 (more by Colin Kerigan)

The Times Sqaure show also marks the last for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah with guitarist Robbie Guertin who wrote to fans in an email:

Being a member of Clap has been an incredible experience, but I have decided to move on and see what's next. I will continue to make music with my other band, Radical Dads, pursue miscellaneous artistic endeavors, and also grow some vegetables. I am excited to see what else might come my way. Maybe some tomatoes?

Meanwhile, after CBGB Fest, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah will take a bit of a break and are then heading out on a tour with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes this September. That tour will see the band hitting up cities in the US and Canada, but unfortunately none in the Northeast. A list of all dates on that tour is below.

Continue reading "CBGB Fest starts today: Hold Steady, CYHSY, Superchunk & more confirmed for Times Square Show; Robbie leaves CYHSY"

Cheetah Chrome w/ RFTT at Maxwell's in 2011 (more by Greg Cristman)

The CBGB Festival kicks off on Thursday (7/5) and continues through Sunday (7/8). We've mentioned a bunch of the festival's shows like the free Central Park show with Guided by Voices, The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, Cloud Nothings, and the War on Drugs, the Webster Hall show with Agnostic Front, Madball, and Murphy's Law (who also play a Rocks Off Cruise), Fishbone at Brooklyn Bowl, the Webster Hall show with Cro-Mags and Sick of it All, and many others. However, if you're looking for others artists that helped define punk and/or make CBGB the legendary venue it is, there are plenty of options for that too.

On Thursday (7/5), The Bowery Electric is hosting a huge show with Tommy Ramone (who drummed on and co-produced the first three Ramones albums), Cheetah Chrome (of Dead Boys/Rocket from the Tombs), The Waldos (ft. Walter Lure of Johnny Thunders' Heartbreakers), Bear 54 (ft. Ernie Brooks of The Modern Lovers), Andy Shernoff (of The Dictators), Richard Lloyd (of Television), The Miamis, The Sic Fucks, and many more. Tickets for that show are available.

That same day (7/5), David Johansen (of New York Dolls) will be playing Sullivan Hall with Daddy Long Legs, Liza Colby & The Sound Machine, Andy & the Rattles, and a late night set by Strawberry Jam. Tickets for that show are available.

Also on Thursday (7/5), you can catch Glen Matlock (of The Sex Pistols) at, wait for it... singer-songwrter mainstay The Living Room with California, Jaymay, Lou-is, and Aurical.

Check the CBGB Festival site for more.

Hilly Kristal entering CBGB on its final night (more)

The CBGB Festival isn't the only place to catch CBGB legends though. Like they've done in the past, Bowery Electric (a venue very close to where CBGB was) will host Johnny Thunders Birthday Bash, a celebration of the late musician, on July 15, when he would have turned 60 (he passed away in 1991). That show features Walter Lure, Alison Gordy, Andy Shernoff, and many more. Tickets are on sale.

Patti Smith will be touring with Neil Young later this year, which hits NYC for two shows (MSG on 11/27 and Barclays Center on 12/3). Patti also plays a sold out show at the Met, on September 28 (a tribute to Andy Warhol).

Blondie will be touring with Devo later this year. Unfortunately, that tour does not come to NYC.

But enough about NYC punks -- California's late 70s/early 80s hardcore scene is getting some pretty solid representation in NYC this summer too. The current version of Dead Kennedys (who no longer count frontman Jello Biafra as a member) will be playing a show at Santos Party House on July 31 with Cerebral Ballzy. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Cali punks Agent Orange will be heading out on an east coast tour with The Queers, which comes to NYC for a Rocks Off Cruise on August 18. Tickets for that show are available. All dates on this tour are listed below.

Greg Ginn at Issue Project Room in 2010 (more by Lori Bally)

Black Flag founder/guitarist and SST Records founder Greg Ginn will be in NYC for two shows (early and late) with his new project Greg Ginn and the Royal We at The Iridium on July 29, and two more shows at the venue the next night (7/30) with the Les Paul Trio. Tickets for all four Iridium shows are on sale now.

Long-running Black Flag frontman Henry Rollins is heading out on a spoken word tour which hits the capitals of all 50 states. That means the NY show is in Albany and not too close to NYC, but you might have better luck checking out the Trenton, NJ show. The Trenton show is at the Jersey State Museum Auditorium and unfortunately not City Gardens, which is now closed, but during its existence had seen tons of great tours come through including multiple Henry Rollins appearances. A City Gardens documentary is in the works and due in 2013. The other tri-state area date on Henry's tour is Hartford, CT's Webster Theater.

Meanwhile, Keith Morris, who was a Black Flag frontman before Rollins joined, will be in NYC with his band OFF!, when their tour with Refused comes to Williamsburg Park on July 18. Tickets for that show are still available.

While we're on the topic of punk shows in Williamsburg Park, as mentioned, Riot Fest Brooklyn goes down at the outdoor venue on September 8 with Descendents, Hot Water Music, Gogol Bordello, The Bronx, Screaming Females, The Menzingers, and Larry and His Flask. Tickets for Riot Fest Brooklyn are still available.

Speaking of The Menzingers, they have a new live acoustic video for "Ava House" off their 2012 LP, On the Impossible Past, which you can check out below. You can catch them on their tour with The Bouncing Souls, which hits NYC for a show at Brooklyn Bowl on August 5. Tickets for that show are still available.

In other punk news, as mentioned, H2O, 7 Seconds, and Tournament play House of Vans on July 12. 7 Seconds frontman Kevin Seconds is working on a new album which is due out this year. You can check out the album's closing track, "Oh, Rhonda," at the bottom of this post. The entire 2012 House of Vans schedule was also just announced, Turbonegro included. UPDATE: you can also now RSVP for the 7 Seconds show.

Street Dogs will be in NYC for a show at Highline Ballroom on September 15 with Koffin Kats and special guests. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

As mentioned, the Fat Wreck/Rocks Off CMJ showcase happens on October 19 at Music Hall of Williamsburg with Lagwagon, Dead To Me, Flatliners, and Useless ID. Tickets for that show are still available. That same lineup also plays a Rocks Off Cruise the next day (10/20). Tickets for the boat show are available. And Lagwagon are also one of the bands currently announced for this year's Fun Fun Fun Fest.

As mentioned, Leftover Crack plays Warsaw on Sunday (7/8) with Crackbox and more TBA. That show appears to now be sold out (though we are waiting on confirmation of that). UPDATE: this is CANCELLED.

Another anarcho-punk option for Williamsburg this weekend is NYHC band Reagan Youth who are playing The Grand Victory (245 Grand St.) on Friday (7/6) with Dust Angel (ft. Reagan Youth guitarist Paul Cripple), Geek Skull, Lords of Death, and Empty Vessel.

As mentioned, crossover thrashers D.R.I. and Mucky Pup are teaming up for a tour which hits NYC on December 8 at The Studio at Webster Hall with support from No Redeeming Social Value, Undivided, and Blackout Shoppers. TIckets for that show are still available.

There's also a number of punk shows at Acheron this week.

Before we wrap this up, a bit more about classic UK punk making its way to NYC this summer/early fall. In addition to Sex Pistol Glen Matlock, who's here this week for CBGB Fest, The Vibrators will be in NYC for a show at The Bowery Electric on September 29. Tickets for that are on sale now.

Wreckless Eric, who veers a bit more on the new wave/power pop side of punk, will play Bowery Electric on September 7 as part of a duo with his wife Amy Rigby. They also play September 13 at The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ. If the name doesn't ring a bell, his song "(I'd Go) The Whole Wide World" probably does. It's seen some revived popularity in recent years due to Will Ferrell singing it in Stranger than Fiction. Tickets for both NYC area shows are on sale now.

Did we miss anything good?

Videos and lists of tour dates below...

Continue reading "punk roundup: CBGB Fest, Greg Ginn, Rollins, Off!, Dead Kennedys, Menzingers, Vibrators, Wreckless Eric & more"

Not too much has changed on the CBGB Festival schedule since we last spoke, but we found out and have confirmed that the multi-day (July 5-8), multi-venue, multi-genre NYC festival will host a free, multi-stage event in Times Square on Saturday, July 7th. The outdoor Times Square show, in addition to live music, will also have food, drinks, music shop booths, and music themed activations for people of all ages. We can't say WHO is playing in Times Square, but we do know that unlike Fidlar, Redd Kross and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., the following CBGB Festival bands are still venueless: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The Hold Steady, and Superchunk. Stay tuned for more info.

That said, it's pretty impressive that they pulled this off and it's definitely a rarity to be able to host a big, outdoor event, let alone a rock show like this in Times Square. It has also proved me wrong, at least to the person I was talking to at NXNE in Toronto when I said, "they would never do anything like this in NYC".

As mentioned several times, CBGB Festival is happening in NYC from July 5-8. Still no word on when, where, or even if Superchunk are playing, (or Wyclef Jean or Clap Your Hands Say Yeah for that matter) but the current and changing schedule can be seen at the CBGB website.

Nirvana bassist-turned-politician Krist Novoselic will give the keynote speech at the festival and there will be many other music conferences including a "CBGB - Tales From The Club" with a former Ramones manager.

The music schedule has a huge variety of shows, many of which we've mentioned, like Redd Kross/The Men at MHOW, which The Labor Pool, who were supposed to open the Superchunk/Redd Kross show were added to. They've also opened shows for Mission of Burma, Yo La Tengo, Wild Flag, and include Superchunk/Yo La Tengo booking agent Bob Lawton as a member.

Other shows that we've previously mentioned include Agnostic Front, Madball, and Murphy's Law at Webster Hall, Reggie Watts and Radio 4 at the Bell House, Cro-Mags, Sick of it All and more at Webster Hall, MEN at Gramercy Theater, the free Guided by Voices/The Pains of Being Pure at Heart/Cloud Nothings/The War on Drugs show at Central Park and more. There's a ton of other good artists playing shows too, including Mykki Blanco, Escort, Andy Shernoff, David Johansen, Richard Lloyd, and so many more. One of these is the recently announced show with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Lissy Trullie, and Fawn at Highline Ballroom July 6. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

The festival is also screening a number of films, some of which are making their premiere at the festival like the new Archers of Loaf documentary (well, it's making its US premiere, its world premiere was last week in Toronto at NXNE). And then there's the schedule for the film panels and of course the spirits festival.

Tickets for the previously discussed show at The Bell House on July 6 with Reggie Watts, the reunited Radio 4, and The Jigglers are still available if you dont want to trouble yourself with a festival badge. Those badges are still on sale, but if you don't want to pay for one, we have TWO PAIRS of badges to give away. Details on how to enter to win are below.

Continue reading "win CBGB Festival passes; check out the updated schedule (films, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. & more added)"

Redd Kross in Chicago in May (more by John Yingling)

What would have been the great double bill of Superchunk and Redd Kross at Beekman Beer Garden (7/6) during CBGB Festival appears to be no more. Redd Kross are now scheduled to play Music Hall of Williamsburg that night (7/6) instead. That show is with The Men, who we first thought were playing CBGB Festival at Gramercy Theatre that night (7/6) but that turned out to be JD Samson's band MEN. Tickets for the MHOW show go on sale Wednesday (6/20) at noon.

Both Redd Kross and The Men are also part of the recently announced FYF Fest lineup.

As for Superchunk, the CBGB Festival schedule doesn't list them playing any show at the moment but Superchunk's tour dates do still list "CBGB Festival" from July 5-8. Stay tuned for more info on this.

Updated dates listed below.

Continue reading "Redd Kross playing MHOW w/ The Men instead of Beekman Beer Garden w/ Superchunk"

Agnostic Front are celebrating their 30th anniversary by playing the 1989 LP Live at CBGB on select dates, including at their recent shows in Long Island or Asbury Park. They'll do it again in NYC at Webster Hall on July 5th with support from Madball, Murphy's Law and Maximum Penalty. Tickets are on sale for the show which is one day before the Cro-Mags/Sick of it All show at the same space. Both shows are part of the the CBGB Festival which has badges of its own and which also recently added a Superchunk/Redd Kross show to its growing schedule.

Start the beatdown week with the Blood for Blood show at Highline Ballroom on June 30th. Tickets are on sale for that as well, and it also features The Unseen, Wisdom in Chains & Cruel Hand. Blood for Blood will also hit Club Lido in Revere, MA on June 29th.

Murphy's Law's Webster Hall appearance is one of at least two for the NYC band in the near future; they will also board the Half Moon as part of a Rocks Off boat cruise on August 12th. Tickets are on sale for what is basically an annual party on the sea (as long as the cops don't intervene)

A listing of all Agnostic Front dates and a live set from 2004, and more, below.

Continue reading "Agnostic Front keeps touring, playing 'Live @ CBGB' set @ CBGB Fest show w/ Madball & Murphy's Law"

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Redd Kross - "Researching the Blues" (MP3)

Superchunk at Pitchfork Fest 2011 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

Superchunk, who came back with a new album in 2010, have followed that release with a new single titled "This Summer." It's out today and comes with a cover of Bananarama's "Cruel Summer" on the B-side. Only 1300 copies were pressed and are available in stores worldwide. Take a listen to the A-side over at Pitchfork. The 7" cover art is below.

Superchunk only have a few dates scheduled and one of those is in NYC as part of CBGB Festival at Beekman Beer Garden on July 6 with Redd Kross and Labor Pool. Tickets for that show are not on sale yet but check ticketweb for any updates or use your CBGB Fest badge.

Redd Kross @ HoZac Blackout Fest on 5/19/2012 (more by John Yingling)

Speaking of Redd Kross, like Superchunk they were responsible for pioneering the pop punk sound that dominated the '90s, most notably doing so on their 1987 LP, Neurotica. The band reunited back in 2004, and now they're set to release their first new album of original material and it's with the same lineup they had on Neurotica. The new album is called Researching the Blues, and it's due out on August 7 via Merge (the label operated by Superchunk). You can grab an MP3 of that album's title track above, or stream it below. Though it's been a while, Redd Kross sound just as urgent on this new track as they do on their earlier records. Check it out for yourself. The album is available for pre-order at the Merge webstore and it comes with a free poster and button. Cover art and tracklist are below.

A list of all dates, that song stream, cover art and tracklist below...

Continue reading "Superchunk releasing 7", playing CBGB Fest w/ Redd Kross, who are prepping a new LP (dates & MP3)"

It has been revealed that the "special secret show" at Bowery Electric tonight (5/20) is actually glam rocker Michael Monroe of Hanoi Rocks (?!). Why the hell would that be a secret? Because he played Bamboozle last night and wasn't allowed to announce the NYC show due to radius clauses. Bamboozle concludes in NJ today with WTF headliner Bon Jovi along with many others including Star Slinger and comedian Andrew Dice Clay.

In related news, L.A. Guns (who strangely recently released a song on Matador Records) and The Dirty Pearls are playing Highline Ballroom on July 5th for what is being billed as part of the CBGB Festival along with Killing Floor, The Noise, and Ingrid & The Defectors.

Other CBGB Fest shows include Guided by Voices at Summerstage, Sick of it All and Cro-Mags at Webster Hall, and a still-reunited D Generation at Bowery Electric which also hosts an upcoming Max's Kansas City reunion fest.

Meanwhile Bold headline the post Black n Blue Bowl show at Bowery Electric this afternoon along with a spoken word set by John Joseph of Cro-Mags.

Joey Ramone's annual birthday party, no longer trying to fill Irving Plaza, happened at The Studio at Webster Hall last night with some familiar punk and proto-punk veterans (many of the same names that play it every year) like Ivan Julian, The Indecent, The Brats, The Threads, The Gobshites, and The Bullys.

Paul Weller just played two nights at Best Buy Theater and a show at the John Varvatos store aka the actual old CBGB space one night earlier.

CBGB Rest in Peace.

by Andrew Sacher

Jayne County and the Electric Chairs (not a recent pic)

Looks like CBGB isn't the only legendary NYC punk venue celebrating a "reunion" this year. Max's Kansas City will be throwing an alumni reunion for four days in June at The Bowery Electric from June 7-10. Max's existed just above Union Square on Park Ave. South from 1965-1974 and again from 1975-1981. It was during its second run as a venue that it became known, along with CBGB, as one of the birthplaces of punk in NYC, having played host to Ramones, Blondie, Television, Talking Heads, New York Dolls, Patti Smith, Suicide, and many others.

The alumni reunion at Bowery Electric will include proto-punk legends Jayne County and the Electric Chairs (formerly Wayne County and the Electric Chairs, Jayne changed her name after the band's breakup and began identifying as a woman), who are best known for their single, "Fuck Off," and their excellent cover of the Electric Prunes' "I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night." They play on June 7 with The Rattlers, Sea Monster, Ruby & the Rednecks, and NY Junk. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

On June 8, we'll get Billy Rath's Street Pirates (Billy played bass with Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers), The Sic F*cks, Avant Duel, power pop greats The Shirts (who have been reunited since 2003 with founding members Robert Racioppo and Artie Lamonica, but without lead singer Annie Golden), and The Brats. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

On June 9, it's The Nihilistics, The Waldos (featuring Walter Lure of Johnny Thunders' band), The Planets, and Stumblebunny (tickets) and finally on June 10, it's King Bee & the Stingers, The Rousers, The Deer France & Dee Pop Experience, The Bowerytones, Four on the Floor, Street Corner Review, Hudson Dusters, and Honey Davis (tickets). A four day pass, which gains you access to all four shows, is also available.

Speaking of proto-punk shows at the Bowery Electric, Deniz Tek (of Australia's Radio Birdman) is currently on a tour of the US and Europe which brings him to Bowery Electric TONIGHT (5/18), Maxwell's on Saturday (5/19) in Hoboken, NJ and a Philly show on Sunday (5/20). The Master Plan open all three of those shows and Daddy Long Legs are on the Bowery Electric and Philly show. Tickets for tonight's Bowery Electric show and Saturday's Maxwell's show are available. All Deniz Tez dates are listed below.

Now that we're talking about Maxwell's, it's worth mentioning that another NYC punk legend will be there this month when Manitoba plays on May 25. In addition to being the reason that Dan Snaith started using the Caribou moniker, Manitoba is also the current project of Handsome Dick Manitoba, lead singer of The Dictators (who recorded a punk cover of "California Sun" two years before the Ramones did, and had a handful of solid originals as well). Manitoba also includes fellow Dictators Ross the Boss and JP Patternson, Daniel Rey (who's produced records for late-period Ramones, Richard Hell, Misfits), and Dean Rispler. Tickets for the Maxwell's show are on sale now. Manitoba also opens for Dick Dale on a Rocks Off Concert Cruise on 7/22 with The Detroit Cobras (tickets).

Lastly, speaking of CBGB, in addition to this summer's CBGB festival, The Telegraph points out that a CBGB biopic is also in the works which will profile the history of the club and how it became a breeding ground for the thriving late '70s punk scene. The film will star Alan Rickman (aka Severus Snape aka Hans Gruber) as CBGB founder Hilly Kristal, directed by Randall Miller (who worked with Rickman on Bottle Shock) and co-produced by Hilly's daughter, Lisa.

A list of all Deniz Tek dates and some videos are below...

Continue reading "Max's Kansas City alumni reunion, Deniz Tek on tour (dates), Manitoba playing Maxwell's, & other proto-punk news"

photos by Craig Barritt

Paul Weller is in town for two shows at the Best Buy Theater tonight (5/18) and Saturday (5/19) to which tickets are still available. Last night, Weller played an invite-only show at the Paul Varvatos store (aka the old CBGBs space) and his 15 or so song set ran his entire career, from Jam classics "Eton Rifles" and "Art School" through songs off Weller's new album, Sonik Kicks.

Weller also stopped by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and performed the Jam's "That's Entertainment." You can watch that below, and check out a few more pictures (mostly red carpet) and setlist from the Varvatos show.

Continue reading "Paul Weller played John Varvatos store (pics, setlist) and Jimmy Fallon (video), playing Best Buy Theater this weekend"

Paul Weller begins his two night run at the Best Buy Theater in Times Square on Friday (tomorrow, 5/18), but first an invite-only show at the Varatos Store tonight. I don't have any tips for getting into the Varvatos store (aka the old CBGB space where the Jam played 30 years ago), but tickets are still available for the Best Buy Theater shows.

Lou with Refused at Terminal 5 (more by BBG)

As originally discovered back in January, and further confirmed in Summerstage's 2012 schedule (but previously with no artists) CBGB is throwing a festival...

The four-day festival is scheduled to begin on July 5 and will showcase about 300 rock bands. Concerts will take place at around 30 places, from large stages like Central Park Summerstage and Webster Hall to small clubs like the Trash Bar in Williamsburg and the Living Room on the Lower East Side...

The festival will also stage a free concert in Central Park with Guided by Voices, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Cloud Nothings [on July 7]. A few veteran rockers have agreed to appear: David Johansen, a former member of the New York Dolls, has committed to do a show, as has the Baseball Project, the supergroup formed by Peter Buck of R.E.M. and Steve Wynn of Dream Syndicate. -[NY Times]

D Generation will headline Bowery Electric on July 7th with ROMANS, Brass Knuckle Evangelists and The Bamboo Kids. Tickets are on sale.

Stay tuned for more (including the full lineup announcement).

Amadou & Mariam

As you may remember from the past couple of years, "Summerstage" now encompasses more than just Central Park, but Central Park Summerstage will still always be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the series. Here's the 2012 schedule. Check it out below...

Continue reading "Central Park Summerstage 2012 schedule (Alabama Shakes, Dawes, Kurt Vile, Gary Clark Jr, Amadou & Mariam & more)"

Rancid were added to the May 19th Black & Blue Bowl at Webster Hall. Advanced online tickets are sold out, but the event is not. You can still get them at shops and at the door (they always leave some for walk-ups). Rancid also play Northern Lights in Clifton Park one day earlier. Tickets are still on sale for that. More Racid tour dates at their site.

Tickets for the Bouncing Souls' June Webster Hall show go on sale at noon.

Agnostic Front is playing the Ethical Humanist Society in Garden City, NY (in Long Island) on April 1, 2012 as part of a three show run that also includes Asbury Park and where they'll be performing the classic 'Live At CBGBs' set list in order. NY show flyer and dates below...

Continue reading "Rancid, Bouncing Souls & Agnostic Front shows & tickets"

Riverboat Gamblers @ CBGB in 2006 (more)

As discussed, Gothamist revealed the other day that a new CBGB was in the works. People have since run with that news and more information is surfacing. The East Village Local (at the NY Times) writes:

The CBGB brand -- and the merchandising empire that comes with it -- changed hands three months ago, a representative of the new owners told The Local.

"We bought the entire estate, the physical assets of the former club. They dissembled it as a theatrical unit so in theory they could put it back together -- say, 80 percent they salvaged," said the spokesman for the new owners, who wished to remain anonymous in anticipation of an announcement in the coming weeks regarding the return of the legendary club. "There are all kinds of tapes, photos, and the global trademarks and licensing."

The spokesman added that his group bought the CBGB estate from Lisa Kristal, the daughter of the founder of the club, Hilly Kristal. A man who answered the phone at Ms. Kristal's number had no comment regarding the transaction.

Dana Kristal has now commented on the sale. "We don't know that it was completely sold, or whether my sister is part owner," he said. "Whoever says they're the owner says they have a partner and they're not saying who it is. My sister and her lawyer say they made a deal where only my sister can use the name in a film for up to seven years. I asked him, 'Do you mean I can't use the canopy?' and the lawyer said, 'Yes.' If there is a new owner - I don't know - I would like to find out from the actual owner if we can use the canopy or not."

In related news, that tweet I linked to about the CBGB festival has since been deleted

Gothamist has a story today, and it says:

"We have it on good authority that the legendary venue is still alive in spirit, and angling to take over a new space in Manhattan. With the contents of the original club still around in a basement somewhere, if all goes according to plan it will even look like the old space. We'll update when we have more information, which should be filtering in over the next few weeks."

In related news, I noticed that there's a CBGB Twitter which claims to be "official", and on it they tweeted earlier this month, "who would you like to see at the #CBGB Music Festival this summer? No band to big or to small."

Continue reading "'CBGB' planning new club in NYC? summer festival?"

by BBG

Featuring members who would go on to join Straight Ahead, Youth of Today, Sick of It All, Agnostic Front, and many notable others, NYC Mayhem was a short-lived hardcore band that flirted with death metal and crossover in 1985. While that lineup may indicate a particular aesthetic, NYC Mayhem definitely owed as much to metallic greats like Slayer, Venom, and Dirty Rotten Imbeciles as they did to Necros, Void, or Negative Approach, using negative hardcore, thrash, and blast beats to blur the lines between metal and punk.

During their uber-brief run, NYC Mayhem was comprised of Gordon Ancis on Guitar, Tommy Carroll on Drums, and Craig Setari on Bass (Tony Marc in the early days). Over the years various demos, numerous rehearsal tapes and even an aborted 7" have bubbled to the surface, floating around the tape-trading realm and the blogosphere. But now Hells Headbangers Records have compiled the entire anthology along with some live material for The Metal & Crossover Days, a two-CD set out now via the label. Check out three tracks from the release below, alongside some live video from CBGB's below.

Recommended for fans of negative hardcore, crossover, early death metal/grind, or anything violent and with tons of attitude.

Continue reading "NYC Mayhem anthology released on 2 CDs"

words & photos by Benjamin Lozovsky

ZZ Top

While many designers tagged trendier (see younger) performers to appear at their Fashion Week soirees, many of which happened the day before for Fashion's Night Out, John Varvatos and show curator/drummer Matt Sorum (Velvet Revolver, Guns N' Roses) stayed true to the spirit of the Bowery store located where CBGB once stood, picking a lineup that would make Wayne and Garth tremble with a lack of self worth (Mike Meyers sitting on the side of the stage with a giddy grin would seem to confirm that).

Alejandro Escovedo performed first on Saturday night (9/11), churning out garage crunch with no less than 4 guitarists blazing on the Varvatos store's small stage. Ian Hunter (lead singer of Mott the Hopple) followed and was joined by Escovedo for a performance of glam cornerstone anthem "All The Young Dudes."

To break up the boys club, former Runaways singer Cherie Currie, one of rock's more underappreciated female frontwomen, came on next. Currie performed "Cherry Bomb," the Runaways' ode to young female rebellion, with a still palpable sense of angst, proving at the same time you're never too old to stop flaunting sex appeal (and to fit into leather corsets).

The Darling Stilettos

Taking a cue from the icon that preceded them, the night's youngest performers, The Darling Stilettos (think rock's answer to the Pussycat Dolls), danced and felt each other up in all the right places while screaming classic rock covers (and one original tune) like over-sexualized banshees.

There were new groups from established rockers as well. New York icon Jessie Malin performed with his latest musical collective The St. Marks Social, and recently formed rock super group Black Country Communion, consisting of former Deep Purple frontman/bassist Glenn Hughes, blues guitar god Joe Bonamassa, and prodigal son Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin, Foreigner) gave a sneak preview of some of the heavy tracks from their upcoming self-titled debut.

After a brief pause, Los Angeles superstar cover band Camp Freddy settled in as the house band for the remainder of the show, welcoming on stage a revolving door of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alumni as the evening catapulted upward in intensity. Some played covers, like ZZ Top (who were in town to play two nights at Beacon Theatre) evoking the spirit of Hendrix with "Foxy Lady" and Perry Farrell aggressively launching into the audience during "Sympathy for the Devil." Others did their own songs, like MC5's outspoken guitarist Wayne Kramer urging the crowd on during "Kick Out the Jams" with help from Handsome Dick Manitoba, or Alice Cooper being diabolically stylish while performing "I'm 18" and "School's Out."

By the time Farrell ended the night with Jane's Addiction's "Mountain Song," the Varvatos store crowd had finally reached the feverish level of turbulence one would expect for such a night. In fact the performers throughout the night consistently displayed more energy than the predominantly younger audience. For an event full of aging rockers, it really just felt like a riotous gathering of all the young dudes.

The crowd was full of familiar faces as well. Chris Brown, Jimmy Kimmel, Rachael Ray, and Matt Pinfield were among those getting their picture taken on the red carpet and mingling with the fashioned-out crowd. Iggy Pop (who played Don Hill's the night before) and Robert Plant (who played Bowery Ballroom the next day) were nowhere in sight though. More pictures and some videos from the whole night below...

Continue reading "ZZ Top, Perry Farrell, Alice Cooper & many more played John Varvatos' 10th Anniversary @ the Bowery store (pics & video) "

"CBGB Holdings LLC, which two years ago purchased the name and copyrights associated with Manhattan's legendary punk-rock club CBGB, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Friday." [Wall Street Journal]

The annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash at Irving Plaza is happening on May 19th. So far no artists have been announced for the festivities, but tickets are on sale. In related news, Joey Ramone could be heard rolling in his grave last night as Axl Rose performed a late night set in the former home of CBGB. Video of the Ramones playing there 33 years ago, below...

Continue reading "Joey Ramone Birthday Party returns to Irving Plaza in May"

"Been waiting outside the Varvatos Bowery store for six hours now. This party better be fun :(" - Nat Thomson

photos by Nate "Igor" Smith

Alberta Cross did in fact play the fashion week party at the Varvatos Store on Thursday night, but it ended up that they were only the opener for a much larger band. That band was Axl Rose and friends aka "Guns n Roses". Packed when it started, people waited for hours for the headliner to appear in the store that used to be CBGB. Over 90 minutes later, after Axl and band had finished a set of seventeen songs to the lucky (and fashionable) people in attendance (like Sebastian Bach and Kevin Bacon), the room was less than half full. People apparently couldn't stay awake - not because of the performance, but because of the (type of crowd it was and the) long wait time followed by the late ending. The show ended around 2:45am.

More pictures, a video and the full setlist below....

Continue reading "Guns n Roses played the Varvatos store (pics, video, setlist)"

by BBG with photos by Samantha Marble

Rich Hall, aka 1000 Knives, is a NYC-based booker that is responsible for some of the most forward-thinking hardcore shows in NYC since he started working at CBGB in the early 2000s. After CBGB closed, Rich took a break, but has been back booking shows independently again for about a year.

During his career he's booked early shows by Isis, Botch, Daughters, The Red Chord, Blacklisted, and many, many more. Recently he put together the upcoming Disembodied show at Santos as well as the recent (and possibly final?) Burnt By The Sun show at Cake Shop (pictures here and here) which was a co-production with Brooklyn Vegan... a relationship that continues into the future as BV & 1000 Knives are proud to present three more shows together in January alone. Check out the list at the bottom of our interview with Rich...

Continue reading "an interview w/ NYC talent booker Rich Hall (1000 Knives)"

"John Varvatos is hosting a benefit concert on January 7, 2010, for the non-profit organization Road Recovery with a one-time performance given by Grammy-Award Winning Artist Peter Frampton and FX's Emmy nominated Rescue Me star and comedian Denis Leary, along with his band The Enablers. The evening's concert will take place at John Varvatos' Bowery NYC store as part of Varvatos' Thursday Nite Live Concert Series held at the space that formerly housed the seminal underground music club CBGB's. This special concert will be sponsored by WRXP Radio 101.9-FM, and have spirited headliner Matt Pinfield, and his radio partner Leslie Fram, as emcee." [Tickes are on sale]

Flyer below...

Continue reading "Peter Frampton & Dennis Leary playing a benefit in the John Varvatos Store (aka CBGB)"