M83 @ MHOW in 2011 (more by Erik Erikson)

M83, who released one of our favorite albums of 2011 and sold out Webster Hall and MHOW this past fall, recently announced a tour with I Break Horses which will hit the much larger NYC venue, Terminal 5 on May 10. That show has since sold out too, and now M83 just revealed an even larger NYC show, which will happen on August 8 at Central Park Summerstage. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (1/20) at noon with an AmEx and a Summerstage presale starting Wednesday (1/18) at noon.

The show is the fifth Summerstage show to be announced for 2012, whose schedule also includes a Beirut show and three Foster the People shows.

Updated M83 dates, including their appearances at the sold out Coachella below...

Continue reading "M83 sell out Terminal 5, add Central Park Summerstage show (updated dates include Coachellas too)"

Beirut at Terminal 5 in 2011 (more by VIncent Cornelli)

Beirut are currently on an international tour that includes dates in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea. They're beginning to reveal some North American dates happening later on this year, including Coachella and a NYC show happening on August 29 at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park (aka Summerstage). Tickets go on sale Friday (1/13) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (1/11) at noon.

That makes the total Central Park Summerstage shows, as of January 2012, up to four already. The other three are Foster the People, one of which was just announced with Tokyo Police Club on June 11 (AmEx presale also starts Wednesday at noon).

All currently known Beirut dates below...

Continue reading "Beirut & other Summerstage shows announced"

photos by Chris La Putt

Grace Potter sat in the grass with her guitar Wednesday, outside her home in Waitsfield, and wrote a new song. Its called "The Mad Mad River."

For years, Potter had resisted the temptation to write about Vermont, she said. "I thought it was kind of cheesy," Potter said.

But in the sunshine Wednesday, a hint of fall in the air a beautiful moment three days after coming home from the road to flood-stricken Waitsfield, Potter wrote about the place "that is such a deep part of who I am."

The chorus is: "There's hope in the valley after the 100-year flood/because the Mad Mad River runs in our blood."

Potter, 28, will debut the song Oct. 9 at the Flynn Theater in Burlington, where she and her band, the Nocturnals, will play one of two benefit concerts for Vermont flood relief. [Burlington Free Press]

Continue reading "Grace Potter, Big Head Todd and the Monsters & Floating Action played Summerstage (pics)"

photos by Jessica Amaya

"Wilco gets everything backwards.

Rock bands are supposed to start small, releasing music on obscure, independent labels, and working their way up to a major record company contract. Wilco, though, began their career on a major label subsidiary in 1994, divorced it to release 2001's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, signed to another subsidiary, and, four studio albums and one Grammy later, decided to start their own indie imprint, dBpm Records. Their first release on that label, The Whole Love, is out today." [The Atlantic]

Continue reading "Wilco release new album, played their 2nd Summerstage show w/ Nick Lowe in the rain (pics & setlist)"

Wilco @ Rumsey Playfield (Central Park) -- 9/22/2011 (photo by beaucolburn)

"Loved the show..nice mix of the new album--love it!, plus the usual "singalongs" and plenty of older gems. Was that tweedy's son dancin' on stage? And except for the lines at vending, I really enjoyed the venue tonight.
And no rain!
Back tomorrow for round 2. For those going, Wilco on about 7:50, played a little over 1.5 hours, then back for an extended encore. Total show 2-2.25 hours I'd say. 25 songs!" [A Cherry Ghost]

Continue reading "Wilco played Central Park Summerstage (setlist), will again tonight "

"sad to report that, due to the imminent approach of Hurricane Irene, we are exercising discretion as the better part of valor and preemptively canceling the Sunday, August 28th Central Park show.

Again, the Sunday, August 28 Jagged Edge, Avant and Melanie Fiona show at Central Park is now CANCELED due to Hurricane Irene."

Update: the 8/28 show is now rescheduled for 9/21

photos by Amanda M. Hatfield

"At Central Park Summerstage, 10,000% humidity. So damp. Band (UK's Friendly Fires) is dripping like undersea creatures." - Moishe Friedman

Friendly Fires headlined a free and at-capcity Central Park Summerstage show yesterday (8/7) with Cults and The Naked and Famous. Friendly Fires played a pretty even mix of material from their debut and its recently released followup Pala (full setlist below). Cults, who will probably be able to headline their own Summerstage show next summer, opened the show two days after they played Lollapalooza.

The Naked and Famous, who are already headlining Webster Hall on October 27 with The Chain Gang of 1974 and White Arrows, and playing a sold out MHOW show on 8/12 with Winter Gloves, just added an 8/13 Brooklyn Bowl show with a Yeasayer DJ set. Tickets are on sale now if you're into that kind of thing. All dates are listed below.

More pictures, videos, and setlist from the Summerstage show, below...

Continue reading "Friendly Fires, Cults & The Naked & Famous played Central Park Summerstage (pics, video & setlist)"

photos by Vincent Cornelli

Lykke Li @ Central Park Summerstage

As previously mentioned, Lykke Li, who was just confirmed for Fun Fun Fun Fest, will head out on a short tour with First Aid Kit in November which hits NJ's Wellmont Theatre on November 17. Tickets for that show finally go on sale this Friday (8/5) at noon.

Lykke Li played a ticketed NYC show at Central Park Summerstage last night (8/1) with Timber Timbre. None of the opener, but pictures from the show continue, with a video, below...

Continue reading "Lykke Li played Summerstage (pics), playing Wellmont (tix)"

photos by Chris La Putt

"Dear friends, Yes. That was me singing with Levon Helm & Emmylou & so many friends in Central Park. One of those nights you hold onto." - Tift Merritt

Levon Helm, Emmylou Harris and Hayes Carll played Summerstage last night (7/18). Pictures from that show are in this post.

During Levon Helm's set, David Bromberg played on "Tongue" (a Bromberg song that Levon recorded with him) and Emmylou Harris helped perform "Evangeline", and then Harris, Hayes, Bromberg, Joan Osborne, Tift Merritt, Shawn Colvin and others joined the band for a performance of The Band's "The Weight." We don't have pictures of that part, but you can watch a video of it below.

"The Weight", as usual, was the last song in Levon's set. You can check out the full written setlist below though note they actually opened with "Ophelia" and didn't play "Wheels".

Setlist, video and pictures below....

Continue reading "Levon Helm, Emmylou Harris, Hayes Carll & friends played Summerstage (pics, video, setlist)"

Tickets for Wilco's 9/22 Summerstage show, after two presales, went on sale today (7/15) at noon and quickly sold out. Fortunately, Wilco have announced a second date the next night (9/23) at Summerstage. Tickets for the newly added show go on sale Friday (7/22) at noon. Nick Lowe opens like he does the night prior.

As mentioned earlier today, you can pre-order the "I MIght" 7" at the Wilco webstore.

Updated tour dates below...

Continue reading "Wilco adds 2nd Central Park show (updated dates)"

photos by David Andrako

"Thoroughly awesome Central Park SummerStage Ratatat show tonight! Preceded by an Omar Souleyman dance party in a torrential downpour." - Miranda Mammen

"Omar Souleyman killed it at Santos 2nite!
the bubu gang also ruled! xelent!" - Jesse Lent

Ratatat

Ratatat headlined the sold-out Central Park Summerstage last night (7/13) with support from Omar Souleyman and Black Pus (aka Brian Chippendale of Lightning Bolt). It rained pretty hard during Omar Souleyman but things cleared up for Ratatat's set, which was accompanied by an array of video clips and visuals. Omar then played a much drier set after the show at Santos with Janka Nabay and others.

More pictures and videos from the Summerstage show below...

Continue reading "Ratatat, Omar Souleyman & Black Pus played Summerstage (pics & video)"

Omar Souleyman at Bonnaroo in June (more by Dana (Distortion) Yavin)

Syrian dabke mastermind Omar Souleyman plays Summerstage tonight (7/13) as part of a pretty eccentric lineup. Ratatat headlines the show and Black Pus is also on the bill. The show is sold out.

If you missed out on getting tickets, you'll have another chance to see Omar, who will play a late show tonight (7/13) at Santos Party House afterwards, with a lineup of other "world musicians" (for lack of better terms). Bubu King Janka Nabay is on the bill, along with Azizaman and Rainstick. Tickets for this show are still on sale.

All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Omar Souleyman playing NYC TWICE TODAY & other dates"

by Andrew Sacher

Florence on GMA @ Rumsey Playfield (juleskills)

Since Good Morning America concerts now happen at Rumsey Playfield aka Central Park Summerstage (full schedule below), Florence & the Machine actually played the outdoor NYC venue twice on Friday (6/24). She played a short set early in the morning for Good Morning America and then a proper Summerstage show later that night with Twin Shadow and Bubbles. At the night show Florence opened the track "Blinding" by singing the intro to Lady Gaga's "Judas" (Lady Gaga notoriously played the first 2011 Good Morning America show on May 27th). Check out a video of that and some others from both Florence shows below.

Twin Shadow's next NYC show is at Webster Hall with Diamond Rings.

what is that over her shoulders???

Beyonce, whose new album 4 was released today (6/28), who also just headlined Glastonbury (with help from Tricky), and who plays the NBC NYC fireworks show, plays Good Morning America at Rumsey Playfield on July 1.

Beyonce's new album seems to be what everyone has been talking about, especially since it leaked back on June 7th. Even Beyonce addressed the leak on June 8th:

My music was leaked and while this is not how I wanted to present my new songs, I appreciate the positive response from my fans. When I record music I always think about my fans singing every note and dancing to every beat. I make music to make people happy and I appreciate that everyone has been so anxious to hear my new songs.

Apparently some of her LGBT fans are disappointed too (and are not dancing to every beat). According to Sandra Rose, after the album leaked, the actual release date was pushed back in part because of criticism from her gay fans. This has not been confirmed, but she wrote:

Beyoncé and her management team are worried about the lack of gay support for her more mature, ballad-heavy CD. "They're taking the album off the [release list] and retooling it," said my source [a confidential informant at the record label, who begged to remain anonymous]. "They're going to add 2 more songs with a club beat to send the gays to the dance floor."

The gay-marriage-legalization-downplaying New York Post, who earlier posted a story about Columbia expecting the Beyonce record to flop, don't like it either. The Daily News's Jim Farber on the other hand likes it (The Daily News also differed from the NY Post by actually doing cover stories on the legalization of gay marriage).

Speaking of Jim Farber, his other big Daily News article today was about "girly men" music ("everyone from [Bon Iver to] Sufjan Stevens to Devendra Banhart to Antony and the Johnsons to Iron and Wine to Grizzly Bear to the National to Fleet Foxes to Vampire Weekend"). He adds, "Snaking back a bit farther, you could also throw into this high-brow/low-virility crew Bright Eyes, the Decemberists and Death Cab for Cutie."

(so just to recap for a second: Gay people don't like the new Beyonce album. The NY Post doesn't like gay people, but does like Beyonce. The Daily News, despite a bit of homophobia, likes gay people and Beyonce.).

I think the Beyonce album's pretty good, except for the severely out-of-place lead single "Run The World (Girls)," which unfortunately is the only track with an official video so far (watch below). Most of the album's non-singles are the ones that demand repeated listens. Its highest points are hit when she belts out Etta Jamesian choruses like that of "Start Over," the earworminess of "Countdown," and the fact that its the first album since her debut to feature a member of Outkast (how bout that new Outkast album?). You can decide for yourself by streaming it. Buy a copy on Amazon.

The upcoming Good Morning America lineup also includes Mary J Blige on September 2, and Debbie Gibson & Tiffany, who are going on tour, on July 29. The full list of mainstream acts (like Beyonce and now Florence) that are playing the popular TV show's series is below.

Florence & Beyonce videos and stuff below too...

Continue reading "Florence & the Machine played Rumsey Playfield twice, Beyonce (whose new album is out) playing there too & stuff"

photos by Bryan Kremkau

Lee Fields & the Expressions

Fitz & the Tantrums

"This weekend was truly a triumph for the state of New York's Gay Community and made my musically enlightened weekend that much sweeter! Friday night's passage of the legalization of same-sex marriage seemed to spark a fire of love and celebration in the city. It couldn't have made for a better day to head to Central Park for one of their summer series concerts.

I knew that the concert had a lot in store for me as the soulful Fitz & the Tantrums, easily one of my favorite new bands, would be performing! Also on the program was soul and funk legend, Lee Fields, who proved that even after a few decades, he's certainly got the moves!

Haling from Los Angeles, California, Fitz & the Tantrum's indie soul sound had the crowd dancing from start to finish... [and] I was happy to find that they sounded even better live, as most of the greatest bands do.

Playing hits from the album such as "Pickin' Up the Pieces" and "Rich Girls" , the group enchanted the audience... finishing their set with one of their biggest hits " MoneyGrabber", they left me wanting more and I feared it would be the last time I'd ever get to see them for free!

Feeding my hungry retro-soul, Lee Fields put on a magnificent performance that salutes the saying "you're as young as you feel.""
[The Vogue Vibes]

More pictures from the Central Park show below...

Continue reading "Fitz & the Tantrums played Central Park Summerstage w/ Lee Fields & the Expressions (pics)"

photos by Greg Cristman

Yoko Ono's Secret Piece (1953)
throughout Central Park from 5AM - 8AM on June 21, 2011.
Celebrate the summer solstice with Yoko Ono's meditative Secret Piece, at sunrise in Central Park.

We will meet at Columbus Circle starting at 5AM. Bring any musical instrument or just your voice, and we will send you to a secluded part of the park to play the note of your choice to the accompaniment of birds.

At 8AM we will all return to Columbus Circle for hot green tea.

UPDATE: Apparently Yoko didn't even go to her own event. ZINGARA says "I woke up really early this morning thinking that different musicians where going to get together and play a Yoko Ono tone. instead i got there and everybody was on their own wandering around the park like a homeless person. There was someone there but as soon you sign your name they send you away." Lori Zimmer adds, "woke @ 330 to go to central pk... was handed a map with little explanation. very disappointed, not much explanation, no yoko, green tea from starbucks out of styrofoam cups after 3 hours...."

The other pictures in this post are from that Japan benefit that Yoko Ono threw at Le Poisson Rouge in March. You already saw the Cibo Matto pics from the same event. Here are the rest with Yoko, Sean Lennon, Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye, Antony, Lou Reed and more included. They continue below...

Continue reading "spend Tuesday morning with Yoko Ono in Central Park (check out some Japan Benefit pics in this post)"

actual crowd going to Central Park Thursday night (photo via Sasarella)

Stormy weather forced the cancellation of a concert by the Black Eyed Peas that was to take place on the Central Park Great Lawn on Thursday night for an expected audience of 60,000.

The concert's pre-show was canceled, and the main show's starting time was delayed twice due to the storms moving across the city, stranding thousands of fans on the streets of the Upper West Side. The gates were finally opened at 7:45 p.m., but about half an hour later, as lightning continued to streak across the sky and a light rain spattered the lawn, the concert was shut down.

Also scheduled to appear were Taylor Swift, Carole King, Tony Bennett, LL Cool J, [Deborah Harry] and others. [NY Times]

Continue reading "Black Eyed Peas Central Park concert cancelled"

"An Andy Warhol portrait of Blondie star Debbie Harry is expected to fetch up to £5.5 million when it is auctioned at Sotheby's in London later this month.

The 1980 work will go under the hammer on 29 June as part of a two-day auction of contemporary art.

The event will also feature works from the collection of Dave Stewart, better known as one half of the Eurythmics.

Among the seven pieces up for grabs is an early spot painting by Damien Hirst dedicated to the British musician.

According to Sotheby's Cheyenne Westphal, the Harry portrait is "the ultimate culmination of Warhol's exploration of our public fascination with female cultural icons"." [BBC]

Blondie have dates scheduled in Europe this summer. Clem Burke recently took part in the annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash at Irving Plaza.

"For more than 30 years, the orchestra has performed free concerts in the parks in July. The shows draw thousands to sit on blankets and enjoy snacks and wine while listening to the classics under the stars.

Only in New York. But not this year.

Because the Philharmonic will not be offering Sousa in Central Park, Prokofiev in Prospect Park or Ravel in Cunningham Park. Vacation scheduling does not permit it, a spokesman declared.

The voice of the Philharmonic said orchestra members need time off in July because they will be performing in three special programs in September, including a Central Park outing with operatic tenor Andrea Bocelli." [NY Daily News]

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

Arctic Monkeys brought their live show back to Central Park Summerstage last night (5/24) in support of their forthcoming LP Suck It and See, which Alex Turner told Vanity Fair was written mostly in NYC where he lives with his girlfriend (the album is out June 7 via Domino). They played a hits-heavy set with a pretty even mix of material off all four albums. More about how they put together their setlist (which is listed below) at NY Mag.

Fellow UK band The Vaccines opened the show. More pictures from the NYC show are in this post.

Arctic Monkeys in Central Park

Arctic Monkeys appear on Letterman tomorrow night (5/26), the same night they play Detroit. They just played on Jools Holland earlier this month, performing four tracks off the new album. Videos from that below.

They also recently filmed a video for the bluesy sludge track "Don't Sit Down Cause I've Moved Your Chair." The psychedelic video, complete with swirling colors and blurred images of the band playing, was directed by Focus Creeps and shot in the band's hometown of Sheffield.

More pictures from the Summerstage show, the AM setlist, updated tour dates and videos below...

Continue reading "Arctic Monkeys played Central Park Summerstage again ----- (pics, videos & the setlist)"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

The Vaccines in Central Park

The Vaccines regularly cover Minor Threat's cover of "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White" by the Standells. Tuesday night, 5/24, during their opening set at Central Park Summerstage in NYC, Minor Threat's Lyle Preslar actually played it with them!
NME talked to both of them:

"I was a little worried The Vaccines might turn out to be like the British version of emo-core or something," Preslar told NME. "Frankly, over the years, you do find yourself in a situation where you don't like the bands that claim to like you. But I genuinely love the way they're quite referential to other bands but quite fresh at the same time."

The Vaccines frontman Justin Young explained his surprise at finding Preslar to be so enthusiastic, especially as the guitarist hadn't played the song since Minor Threat disbanded in 1983. "I couldn't help but think it sounded so much tighter with Lyle than we do when I play the song," he said. "It was a great honour. I got into hardcore when I was 13 or 14 but to be honest, Minor Threat are the only hardcore band that I still listen to."

Too bad Lyle didn't join Ted Leo who played Minor Threat tracks with a backing track at Bowery Ballroom on Sunday. Ted should invite Lyle to the free show he'll be playing at South Street Seaport this summer.

Watch a video of Lyle playing with The Vaccines last night at Summerstage, with more pictures from the opener's set, and their setlist, below...

Continue reading "The Vaccines played Summerstage w/ help from Minor Threat's Lyle Preslar (video, pics & setlist)"

Clipse photos by Brook Bobbins

Nas & Damian Marley at Williamsburg Waterfront (more by Samantha Marble)

Distant Relatives Nas & Damian Marley will team up for a summer show in NYC this year just like last. They'll hit Central Park Summerstage on August 11th. Tickets go on web presale at 10AM on Thursday (5/19) with regular sale hitting Friday. One difference from from last year though, they're calling this one their "grand finale," so don't sleep if you've been wanting to catch the pair together. THAT SAID, they were also just announced on the lineup of ACL which is happening a month later.

Wiz Khalifa also has a Summerstage show coming up.

In other hip hop news, Q-Tip will DJ The Fort Greene Festival kick off party on May 28th at Sanders Studio (525 Waverly Avenue in Brooklyn), a benefit to raise money for the forthcoming annual event. Tickets are $10 or $15 at the door.

As previously mentioned, Q-Tip will perform at the annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival on July 16th where he'll be joined by new additions Homeboy Sandman, Eternia, Shad, Nitty Scott and Kid Glyde. Get your tickets.

Rock the Bells is going to announce some news from a "launch party" at House of Blues in LA on May 24th.

Talib Kweli will link back up with his side project Idle Warship to play BB Kings on June 10th. Tickets are on sale. And don't forget Kweli will also play a free show in Red Hook Park on 6/21.

Edan plays Southpaw on May 25th.

Clipse @ Terminal 5 in April

Clipse made a NYC appearance at Terminal 5 on April 30th. They opened for A-Trak, and pictures from their set are in this post. More of them below.

Ghostface & Raekwon supported Mobb Deep at recent show at Best Buy Theater. Pictures from that show are HERE. Some upcoming UK Wu-Tang dates are below.

The previously announced "Salute to Hip Hop" show that was supposed to take place at Best Buy Theater in Times Square in April has been rescheduled. You can now catch The Lox, EPMD, and Brand Nubian at the NYC venue on June 30th. Tickets are on sale.

The previously announced Curren$y show happening at Irving Plaza in June is still happening, but now so are many more tour dates around it including the Pitchfork Festival. They are listed below.

And finally, Beastie Boys have no tour dates in support of their Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 yet, but you can catch Ad-Rock hosting/DJing as part of a day long Children's Museum of Art benefit. Tickets for both events at Webster Hall on 5/22 are on sale. Meanwhle check out "The Greatest Beastie Boys Lyrical References To New York, In Order."

A recent video by Nas & Damian Marley for "Nah Mean," those Clipse pics, and tour dates, below.

Continue reading "Nas & Damien Marley shows, BK Hip Hop Fest, Curren$y, Rock the Bells, Q-Tip, Clipse pics, Ad-Rock & other hip hop news"

Wiz Khalifa @ Rock The Bells 2010 (more by Eric Townsend)

We're now up to four announced ticketed shows happening at Williamsburg Waterfront this summer. Thievery Corporation are playing the outdoor North Brooklyn space on Friday, June 24th, and tickets go on sale this Friday at noon which is also when Death Cab For Cutie/Frightened Rabbit tickets go on sale. The other two, which are already on sale, are Sonic Youth and Kid Cudi.

Wiz Khalifa, who plays the Roots Picnic on June 4th, and Monmouth University on July 29th, will play Central Park Summerstage on July 25th. Tickets go on presale Thursday at 10am, and then general sale Friday at noon.

Tickets go on AmEx presale today (5/4) at noon for Ratatat's upcoming show at the same Summerstage venue.

It's always confusing that, except from a promoter/series/financial/whatever point of view, "Central Park Summerstage" and "Rumsey Playfield" are actually the same venue even though you have to do two separate searches on Ticketmaster to find all the ticketed shows happening there. Ray Lamontagne and the Pariah Dogs are playing two Rumsey Playfield shows this year. The sold out 5/31 one was announced a while ago (with Brandi Carlile and The Secret Sisters opening), and the 9/26 one (with no openers announed yet) goes on presale Thursday at 10am, and then on general sale Friday at 10am.

In related news, Bon Iver's recently announced Prospect Park show is now sold out.

Ratatat @ Terminal 5 in 2008 (more by Leia Jospe)

Ratatat, previously announced on the lineups of Sasquatch, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and HARD Fest in LA this summer, will play their own big headlining NYC show at Central Park Summerstage on July 13th. Tickets go on AmEx presale Wednesday at noon. General sale begins Friday ($30 advance / $40 day of show). All tour dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Ratatat playing Summerstage & other dates "

Grace Poter in Prospect Park in 2009 (more by Chris La Putt)

Tickets go on sale at noon for the show Animal Collective is playing in Prospect Park.

Tickets also went on sale at noon for the show Cut Copy is playing in Prospect Park.

Tickets go on sale at noon for a show Grace Potter is playing in Central Park in September (Sat, 09/24/11, to be exact).

and speaking of Summerstage, they just announced their entire summer lineup (free shows included).

"SummerStage, a program of City Parks Foundation, presents performances of outstanding artistic quality, free of charge, to serve the diverse communities of New York City. The artists represent a breadth of genres and cultures and perform in an outdoor setting accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds. SummerStage strives to develop audiences' deepening appreciation for contemporary, traditional, and emerging artists as well as the communities in which these artists originate."

The ENTIRE 2011 SUMMERSTAGE SCHEDULE is now posted at Summerstage's site.

Above picture, taken at the St. Vincent show in 2010, by Chris La Putt.