"The mother of deceased Alice in Chains lead singer Layne Staley has sued her son's former bandmates, claiming they cut her out of royalties owed on the band's hits.

Staley's mother Nancy McCallum contends the surviving members of Alice in Chains owe her half of the money due Staley - about 16 percent of the hard rock band's income. According to the lawsuit, the band has attempted to cut her out of any further payments. [seattlepi {via)]

Later in the summer Alice in Chains join Jane's Addiction for a "Rockstar Energy" tour that hits CT, NJ and NY among other places. All of those dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Layne Staley's mom suing Alice in Chains (who are playing the MMRBQ w/ Soundgarden & Cheap Trick)"

Cheap Trick found early success in Japan, and capitalized on this popularity by recording Cheap Trick at Budokan in Tokyo on April 28 and 30, 1978, with an audience of 12,000 screaming Japanese fans nearly drowning out the band at times. [At Budokan] was intended for release only in Japan but with strong airplay of the promotional album From Tokyo to You, an estimated 30,000 import copies were sold in the United States and the album was released domestically in February 1979. The album also introduced two previously unreleased original songs, "Lookout" and "Need Your Love".

In the U.S., the album peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and became the group's best selling album with over three million copies sold. It also ranked number 13 on Billboard's Top Pop Albums of 1979 year-end chart. The single "I Want You to Want Me" reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The second single, a cover of Fats Domino's "Ain't That a Shame" also charted, reaching number 35. Cheap Trick at Budokan was certified triple Platinum in 1986 by the RIAA. -[Wiki]

Cheap Trick will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the concerts with a pair of US shows on the two shows' anniversaries, on April 28 at the John Varvatos boutique on the Bowery in New York (formerly CBGB, the subject of an amazing looking film) and April 30 at El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles. Each day will see the band performing the exact set the did in Japan 35 years prior, and both shows will be streamed online. A VERY limited number of tickets for the NYC show are available as part of a anniversary boxset deal.

Head below to stream all of the band's landmark LP.

Continue reading "Cheap Trick celebrates 35 years of 'At Budokan' by recreating its two shows in NY and LA"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

Rick Springfield / John Fogerty / Rick Nielson, Taylor Hawkins, Krist Novoselic

As discussed, Dave Grohl made his directorial debut with his new documentary, Sound City, which tells the story of the LA recording studio of the same name, and he brought his star-studded Sound City Players to NYC for show at Hammerstein Ballroom last night. The lineup included Stevie Nicks, John Fogerty, Rick Springfield, Lee Ving of Fear, Brad Wilk of Rage Against The Machine, Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, Alain Johannes, and Chris Goss, with backing from Dave Grohl himself, along with Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Krist Novoselic, Chris Shiflett, and Pat Smear.

In addition to playing original tunes that the members wrote for Sound City, the show included mini-sets from the people involved. It opened with a set from Alain Johannes, who played "Hangin' Tree" by Queens of the Stone Age, which he co-wrote, and also played some tracks from his band Eleven. Then Masters of Reality head Chris Goss brought out RATM's Brad Wilk for a set of Masters of Reality songs. Fear's Lee Ving did an original Sound City song followed by all Fear cuts. Rick Nielson of Cheap Trick did his set with Nirvana's Krist Novaselic, and the pair did all Cheap Trick songs and his cover of Fats Domino's "Ain't That A Shame". Then Rick Springfield was up, followed by John Fogerty.

Steve Nicks ended the show, doing original Sound City track, and combining that with Fleetwood Mac favorites "Dreams," "Landslide," and "Gold Dust Woman," plus here solo song, "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," for which Dave Grohl came out and took over Tom Petty's role in the song. The sets were all backed by Foo Fighters members, and in between performances, clips of the film were played on stage. The entire setlist (incomplete setlist, can anyone help fix it?) and more pictures from the show are below (though unfortunately, photographers were not allowed to shoot the entire show, and there are no pictures of Stevie Nicks & Dave Grohl).

Dave Grohl was also on The Colbert Report last night, where he discussed the Sound City documentary with Stephen Colbert. A video of that is below as well.

Continue reading "Dave Grohl brought 'Sound City' & special guests to NYC (Hammerstein Ballroom & Colbert -- pics, setlist & video)"

Alain Johannes, Dave Grohl, Lee Ving, Pat Smear, and Taylor Hawkins

As mentioned before, the documentary about legendary recording studio Sound City is being directed by Dave Grohl and will make it's world premiere at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Consequence of Sound reports that Dave Grohl is also doing its soundtrack, titled Sound City - Real to Reel, which features collaborations between a crazy/amazing cast of musicians, and will include "Cut Me Some Slack," the song he did with Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear at the 12.12.12 Benefit at MSG this week.

Other collaborations include "You Can't Fix This" with Stevie Nicks; "The Man That Never Was" with Rick Springfield; and "Mantra" featuring QOTSA's Josh Homme and Trent Reznor. Other collaborators include legendary session drummer Jim Keltner, Cheap Trick's Rick Neilsen and former FEAR vocalist Lee Ving. The soundtrack is out March 12 and is available for pre-order via iTunes. Full Sound City soundtrack is below.

Continue reading "Dave Grohl collaborating with Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, Trent Reznor, Lee Ving and more on 'Sound City' soundtrack"

Negative Approach earlier this month in Chicago (more by Carmelo Espanola)

Penn Badgley in 'Greetings From Tim Buckley'

We already posted lots of posts today. Here's some more, and some reminders too...

Did you know that Penn Badgley (aka Dan on Gossip Girl) is playing Jeff Buckley in upcoming biopic, Greetings from Tim Buckley? He's even been doing some stealth secret shows in NYC. Watch the trailer below.

Randy Newman is dreaming of... a white president.

As mentioned before, The Killers show at The Paramount is being webcast tonight, which will be directed by legendary German filmmaker Werner Herzog. He also directed a mini Killers documentary, which you can watch below.

Speaking of The Killers, they just announced a tour with Tegan & Sara that will hit Madison Square Garden.

Speaking of MSG, tourmates Aerosmith and Cheap Trick just announced a show there too. Madonna plays there twice in November which is when Neil Young is there too.

Whose new cover art is better: Neil Young's or Titus Andronicus'?

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs has a new video for his single "Your Love" which you can watch below.

You can stream Natural Child's new album, Hard in Heaven, over at Spinner.

Read part 2 of Kelly Pratt's tour diary written on the road with St. Vincent and David Byrne. Part 2.5 also went up today at BV Chicago.

A plethora of heavy music live photographs by Carmelo Espanola also went up today on BV Chicago.

A music monitoring firm has determined that Drake is currently the most pirated musician in the United States. If you live in the UK, it can tell you what artist is the most pirated in your neighborhood.

more stuff below...

Continue reading "Also: Penn Badgley IS Jeff Buckley, Drake most pirated in US, Herzog's Killers doc, MSG shows, Promise Ring cover Adele & more..."

photos by Greg Cristman

Cheap Trick was amazing... the band barely let up; if there was a second or a pause they ripped into another song, played The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour as if they owned it. "She's Tight" which brought back images of the video from thirty years ago. "The Dream Police" which I would say is my favorite, and "I Want You to Want Me". Rickie Nilsson kept flipping guitar picks out into the audience and like a kid I wanted to get one. -[Train Writer]

So far, no plans to have Cheap Trick perform at the, um Cheap Trick. As BV Chicago posted last month...

Cheap Trick, the Rockford band behind the '70s hits "Dream Police" and "I Want You to Want Me," announced that it will "curate" a museum and music venue in a former Buick dealership at 2245 S. Michigan in the emerging Record Row-Motor Row district.

Band manager David Frey said in a statement that Cheap Trick Chicago will be "a one-of-a-kind eatery, unique musical instrument museum, radio station, and performance space as well as rooftop and outdoor and event space in the future Music Row in Chicago."

...The announcement is a continuation of Fioretti's vision to link the historic Chess Records site, 2120 S. Michigan; the empty Vee-Jay and Brunswick Records site, 1449 S. Michigan, and vacant auto dealerships into an entertainment district that would blend history, recording studios, hotels and restaurants.

"I think we could put the Cheap Trick project together by next year," Fioretti said Wednesday. -[Chicago Sun Times]

Continue reading "Cheap Trick played the Paramount w/ Mickey Leigh's New Yorkestra (pics, setlist), opening Chicago venue"

DUMP playing Hot Tub @ Littlefield this past Monday (by DoneWaiting)

Tickets go on sale at noon for the eight Yo La Tengo Hanukkah shows:

*12/20 Night One Buy Tickets Here!
*12/21 Night Two Buy Tickets Here!
*12/22 Night Three Buy Tickets Here!
*12/23 Night Four Buy Tickets Here!
*12/24 Night Five Buy Tickets Here!
*12/25 Night Six Buy Tickets Here!
*12/26 Night Seven Buy Tickets Here!
*12/27 Night Eight Buy Tickets Here!

Tickets for the four Phish shows at MSG go on sale Saturday at noon.

Mavis Staples, The Head and the Heart & Dawes have a show coming up at Beacon Theater. Tickets on sale at noon.

Speaking of holiday shows at the Beacon, Cyndi Lauper and friends are playing one too. On sale now.

By noon tickets will also be on sale for Yelle, Nada Surf, Devo and BOBBY.

One of those Devo shows is at the Paramount in Long Island where Cheap Trick also have a show coming up at. It went on sale today.

Ill Fits recently played some shows at CMJ. They play Mercury Lounge on December 7th with Ladybug Transistor and The Echo-Friendly. Tickets on sale at noon.

A strong downward burst of wind is believed to have led to the collapse of the main stage during a performance Sunday night at Ottawa Bluesfest.

Though not an official finding, Environment Canada said they are fairly confident a downburst was the trigger for the collapse of the main stage 20 minutes into a performance by Cheap Trick.

A downburst is a particularly strong downdraft of air from a thunderstorm that spreads out in all directions when it hits the ground and can potentially cause as much damage as a tornado. Thunderstorms with wind gusts up to 96 km/h began around 7:30 p.m. ET and continued on and off through the evening.

Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest executive director Mark Monahan is set to hold a news conference 11 a.m. ET to discuss the stage collapse that sent three people to hospital and thousands fleeing for cover. [CBC]

Continue reading "stage collapse during Cheap Trick @ Ottawa Bluesfest (video)"

Though no longer in Asser Levy Park (for now), Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz returns for the 33rd time with his Seaside Summer Concert Series in Coney Island in 2011. Now located at West 21st Street and Surf Avenue (next to the home of the Brooklyn Cyclones), there will be free shows every Thursday through August 18. All shows start at 7:30 PM.

The series kicks off right on July 14 with a free show by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and ends with one by Cheap Trick! Full schedule, mystery night included, and more info, below...

Continue reading "2011 Seaside Summer Concert Series lineup (free shows in Coney Island - Joan Jett & Cheap Trick included)"

As you know, BrooklynVegan presents a 3-band lineup consisting of BOBBY, Alex Bleeker & the Freaks, and Prussia at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on May 5th aka Cinco de Mayo (aka tomorrow). Tickets are still on sale.

Honestly, the show just happened to fall on Cinco de Mayo, but since it did we decided to join in on the festivities by adding an open bar pre-party that is open to all 21+ BOBBY ticketholders. The concert start at 8pm, and we'll be serving free Hornitos Tequila cocktails in the Knitting Factory front bar from 6-8 to all 21+ ticketholders who show up (you can also buy a ticket when you get there) (they're only $10). Come party.

And in honor of Cinco De Mayo, our pre-party sponsor Hornitos Tequila is also hosting a Mariachi Mashup contest that will give bands a chance to win $10,000 - for full details visit the Hornitos Facebook Page, but it involves covering one of five songs, "Young Folks" by Peter Bjorn & John, "Little Secrets" by Passion Pit, and "Surrender" by Cheap Trick included. Cheap Trick also made their own mashup/cover to kick off the contest, which you can watch (short and long version), with our party flyer, below...

Continue reading "come to our Cinco de Mayo party before BOBBY, win $$$ making a mashup for Hornitos"

Omar & fan @ Tribeca Film Festival - Apr 22, 2010 (Sylvia Hatred)

The new date for the Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group show at Highline Ballroom is September 17th. Tickets are on sale. The Mars Volta member's film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last night. As you can see above, Omar was in attendance.

Squeeze & Cheap Trick play Radio City Music Hall in NYC on July 13th. Tickets just went on sale.

Alice Smith has scheduled a last-minute acoustic show at Highline Ballroom... tonight, Friday April 23rd. Tickets are on sale.

The May 3rd Chapterhouse and Ulrich Schnauss show at The Bell House sold out. Tickets are on sale for a 2nd show one day later with the same lineup.

Matmos and So Percussion will be playing at (Le) Poisson Rouge on Wednesday, June 9th. Tickets are on sale now.

Saturday night's show at Bruar Falls is free and going to be packed.

Also free: the shows at Grand Central for Earth Day today.

DOWNLOAD: Sweet Apple - Do You Remember (MP3)

Thurston w/ Sonic Youth @ MHOW in November (more by Lori Baily)

Society's Ills: In 1994 Society's Ills (Moore, Cadena, Watt, Markey) made their world premier with the now coveted "Skins, Brains, and Guts" release - a slab that managed to cram (9) 7 seconds covers onto one 7". In 2010, the band is back and once again fronted by Thurston but he brings with him a new crue of slayers to launch the hardcore fury:

Thurston Moore: Vocals
J Mascis: Guitar
Don Fleming: Guitar [SY producer & Velvet Monkeys/Gumball frontman]
Andrew W.K.: Bass
Awesome Allison: Drums [from Awesome Color]

This set is their first, but don't worry if you miss it cause I'm sure we can put this together again in another 15 years! [Ecstatic Peace]

J Mascis will also be playing at SXSW with Sweet Apple, who are playing Mercury Lounge on April 20th. One of their SXSW sets will be at the showcase for TeePee Records, who are putting out the Sweet Apple debut, Love & Desperation, a track from which is above. That show is Thursday, March 18th at Habana Calle 6, and also on the bill are Priestess, Iron Age, Nebula, Naam, Imaad Wasif and more. Full details and a poster are below. Tee Pee Records has also teamed up with BrooklynVegan and Chronic Youth for another day party taking place on Saturday, March 20th in Austin. This is the first we've mentioned it. Stay tuned for more info.

Lou Barlow will also be at SXSW (backed again by The Missingmen) - one of his shows will be the Merge Records showcase at Cedar Street Courtyard on March 18th also featuring Let's Wrestle, She & Him, and others. Full lineup below. For She & Him it's one of two official SXSW shows. They also play Saturday night (March 20th) at Auditorium Shores (with Justin Townes Earle & TBA). Cheap Trick play the same slot at Auditorium Shores one night earlier.

Merge's showcase mentions that one slot will be filled by "Special Guest". We don't know who that is, but we'd have to guess Superchunk is a strong possibility since Mac & Laura have a speaking engagement (in a bookstore) on March 17th, and another one (official SXSW) at the convention center on March 19th (with Michael Azerrad), and the band is on the bill of the Village Voice day party happening at La Zona Rosa the afternoon of March 19th (with the xx, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and Surfer Blood). It's definitely not Spoon who play the NPR show at Stubb's on March 17th with Deerhunter (their tour-mates) and The Walkmen.

Society's Ills Bassist Andrew W.K. will also be performing separately (and speaking) at SXSW (and at MtyMx in Mexico).

Kim and Thurston are playing with the Plastic Ono Band in their two-night Brooklyn Academy of Music run. They were at the dress rehearsal (aka the first night) last night (2/16). BV photographer Greg Cristman was in the audience and told us, "One definite highlight was Thurston and Kim played with Yoko as a trio and did a killer version of Mulberry from Unfinished Music No. 2 while the film Fly was projected on a huge screen behind them!" - a (poor quality) video clip of one of the other songs is below.

Full lineups for the showcases and videos are below...

Continue reading "Thurston Moore (& Kim) rehearsed w/ Yoko @ BAM, recreating Society's Ills (w/ Mascis, WK), appearing @ SXSW (like She & Him, Merge Records, Tee Pee...) "

by Ryan Barkan

Tracy Morgan & Stevie Wonder (picture via Hipster Runoff)

Super Bowl XLIV (44) took place Sunday night in Florida between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints. The Saints semi-upset the Colts to win the big game for the first time in the franchise's history. This post is a special edition of the long lost "Week In Music Licensing" post and as such, that's the last you will hear about the game. Grizzly Bear, Arcade Fire, many videos and more below...

Continue reading "music & commercials of Super Bowl XLIV (Grizzly Bear, Arcade Fire, The Who, Mini Kiss, The Heavy & more) "

photos by Paul Birman

Audi of America today announced that it will advertise during Super Bowl XLIV, the brand's third consecutive time in the Super Bowl. The spot will highlight the Audi A3 TDI, recently named by Green Car Journal as the 2010 "Green Car of the Year" and will have a fun, tongue-in-cheek environmental theme. Rock legends Cheap Trick will reinterpret one of their classic pieces as the soundtrack to the commercial.

Returning to the Super Bowl after a nearly 20-year hiatus, the 2008 Audi spot delivered a parody of the movie "The Godfather" and signaled that the brand was ready to challenge the perceived luxury leaders. The 2009 effort featured actor Jason Statham in a series of high-speed chase scenes involving recent luxury models, sending the dual message that some things are best left in the past and luxury is evolving, with Audi at the forefront. This year, Audi will demonstrate its leadership position within the luxury segment with a brand spot that delivers the message that being environmentally conscious might not be easy, but the Audi A3 TDI clean diesel is now a proven environmental solution. [press release]

Monday night (1/25), Cheap Trick played a show at The Fillmore at Irving Plaza here in NYC (they also played a private/taped shows at St Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn the night after that). More pictures from Irving along with the setlist and all future tour dates (they have a gig coming in Atlantic City soon), below...

Continue reading "Cheap Trick played Irving Plaza (pics, setlist), rewrote song for Superbowl commercial, performed Sgt Pepper, tour dates"

UPDATE: TICKETS ARE ON SALE

Continue reading "Journey, Heart & Cheap Trick - 2008 Tour Dates"

"The 2007 Virgin Festival by Virgin Mobile, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore August 4 and 5."

Sat August 4
The Police
Beastie Boys
Incubus
Modest Mouse
TV on the Radio
Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals
Cheap Trick
Amy Winehouse
Fountains of Wayne
The Fratellis
Paolo Nutini
Peter Bjorn and John
Sasha and Digweed
Felix da Housecat
LCD Soundsystem
and more

Sunday August 5
The Smashing Pumpkins
311
Velvet Revolver
Chris Cornell
Wu Tang Clan
Interpol
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Bad Brains
Matisyahu
Spoon
Regina Spektor
Deep Dish
The Crystal Method (DJ Set)
Infected Mushroom
even more