DOWNLOAD: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Seven-Mile Island (MP3)

Jason Isbell @ Bowery Ballroom (more by Fresh Bread)

Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit are going on tour from July up to September. They'll stop at NYC's City Winery for an "acoustic evening" on Tuesday, August 4th - part of the winery's NightCap Series.

NightCap Series at City Winery
6/29 9:00 p.m. Snailhouse and Sharon van Etten $12.00
7/6 9:00 p.m. Sydney Wayser and Emily Brodsky $10.00
7/8, 7/9 9:00 p.m. Joe Purdy $15.00
8/4 9:00 p.m. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit $20.00

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit's new self-titled album came out in February on Lightning Rod Records (MP3 from that above). It was the band's debut -- Jason, a former Drive-By Trucker, had one previously by himself. Current Trucker Patterson Hood also just released a new album and was just in NYC for some shows himself.

All tour dates, a mini-doc on Isbell, and a live video of the song "Soldiers Get Strange," below...

Continue reading "Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit tour dates & other 'NightCap' shows coming to City Winery (Sharon Van Etten tonight)"

Starting Tuesday, June 23rd, Hudson Square will be another one of the spots in NYC with a free weekly music series -- it joins free programs at Stuy Town Oval, Madison Square Park, Williamsburg Waterfront, Hudson River Rocks, Seaport Music, East River Park, NYC CityParks Concerts, Central Park Summerstage, BAM R&B Fest at Metrotech, Celebrate Brooklyn and several free movie series, to name a few.

The Hudson Square Music & Wine Festival will take place on Tuesdays from 5-7pm in the parking lot of City Winery (between Varick, Spring, Hudson and Vandam Streets). Series highlights include Jason Isbell, William Elliot Whitmore, Marc Ribot and La Cumbiamba and Budos Band (who already played a free show this summer at Stuy Town Oval).

Full schedule for the eight-week series, with a flyer, below...

Continue reading "Hudson Square Music & Wine series - free Tuesday shows w/ Budos Band, William Elliot Whitmore, Marc Ribot, more"

Since the closing of LES spot Tonic in 2007, The Stone has been one of the venues that's attempted to fill the void left by the experimental-music-friendly space.

Like Tonic did, The Stone frequently brings on guest curators (not coincidentally Stone founder John Zorn was one of Tonic's most regular hosts and played at Tonic's final show). Now, with guitarist Grey Gersten's monthlong May curatorial run ending Sunday, May 31st, former Tonic co-owner Melissa Caruso Scott comes out of booking retirement to take the reigns in programing the first two weeks of June at The Stone.

Speaking about her choices Scott said, "These artists played some of my favorite Tonic shows and I can't wait to see them again." Her picks include Japanese musician Yuka Honda, who's also playing a Summerstage show with Mike Watt, guitarist Charlie Hunter, Elysian Fields, Vernon Reid, Joan as Polcewoman, cellist Erik Friedlander, and more. Her full schedule is posted below.

Speaking of Friendlander, he plays on Yoko Ono's new DON'T STOP ME! EP (out June 9th Via iTunes Exclusive Digital Download), and you can also catch him live on June 5th along with saxophone player Colin Stetson at the Abrons Art Space Recital Hall. The show is presented by The Manhattan New Music Project, and tickets are on sale.

Before the time of both Tonic and The Stone, the original Knitting Factory on Houston Street featured an ecclectic mix of avant and experimental music (frequently with Zorn and others). The co-founder of that venue, show promoter and current owner of City Winery Michael Dorf, will curate the second half of the June at The Stone.

Acts on his schedule include Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers (who have completed their Pianos residency and are also playing Citysol), Ethan Iverson (of the Bad Plus) with saxist Tim Berne, and Marc Ribot, the guitarist who's had considerable presence at each of the aforementioned venues -- gigging regularly at the Knit on Houston St, getting arrested for protesting the closure of Tonic, and hosting several nights of his 55th-birthday retrospective at The Stone in mid-May.

Check out the full June schedule for The Stone, below...

Continue reading "Tonic owner returns, joins City Winery's Michael Dorf to curate John Zorn's club The Stone in June - full lineup"

photos by Lori Baily

[Marianne Faithfull's] new album [Easy Come, Easy Go] adds some great new interpretations to her rich repertoire, including songs by older artists (Smokey Robinson, Billie Holiday) and younger ones (the Decemberists, Neko Case).

Faithfull found a particular kinship with Case. "I read that she took one line for her song from the 'Brothers Karamazov,'" the singer says. "That's something I would do." [NY Daily News]

Marianne played two shows at NYC's City Winery - March 27th and 28th. The pictures in this post are from the first. On March 31st she appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman where she performed the Decemberists' "The Crane Wife 3" (without Nick Cave who helps her sing it on the album).

The Letterman video, and everything else, below...

Continue reading "Marianne Faithfull - new covers album full of special guests, City Winery pics & Letterman (Decemberists) video"

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Patrick Watson - Tracy's Waters (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Patrick Watson - Luscious Life (MP3)

At the beginning of March we premiered the first single, "Tracy's Waters" (above), from Canadian songster Patrick Watson's new record, Wooden Arms - out in the US May 5th on Secret City Records. The release follows Watson's last album, Close to Paradise, which won the 2007 Polaris Prize for best Canadian album of the year.

The day before that album drops, Patrick Watson and band will play a Monday, May 4th show at NYC's City Winery, before heading out for early summer dates in North America and Europe. Tickets for the Winery show are on sale now.

The venue has a steady schedule of upcoming music events - including "Philip Glass with Patti Smith: Footnote to Howl, The Poet Speaks, Homage to Allen Ginsberg" on April 5th and Alejandro Escovedo & Joseph Arthur on June 18th. On March 4th, the Winery hosted Rufus Wainwright, who paired with special guest David Byrne on The Talking Heads' "Road to Nowhere".

Watson's fellow Canadians and Secret City labelmates Human Highway (Jim Guthrie and Nick Thorburn) are set to visit NYC's Le Poisson Rouge on Wednesday, March 25th, with The Magic and Cotton Jones opening. Tickets are on sale.

All tour dates, and video for Close to Paradise track "The Great Escape," below...

Continue reading "Patrick Watson - 2009 tour dates & other City Winery shows "

words & photos by Jacob Blickenstaff

At the City Winery last week (3/4), Rufus Wainwright put together an acoustic, unamplified show lit only by candle light to promote BlackoutSabbath, a kind of grass roots conservation thing inspired by the improvisational adaptation of New Yorkers during the Great Blackout of years past.

Ironically, the only low point of the evening was when two hoped-up Obama campaigners went on a bit too long about 'change'. Otherwise the music was excellent - intimate, warm and playful.

The gang included Rufus, Aunt Sloan, Lucy Wainwright-Roche, David Byrne (who brought along current tour-mates Mark De Gli Antoni and Mauro Refosco), Jenni Muldaur (also on tour with Byrne), Janeane Garofalo (comedy bit/rant) and Teddy Thompson. As Rufus put it in the beginning, it was "like a campfire sing-a-long".

Some of the highlights included a group effort on the Roger Miller classic "King of the Road", Teddy Thompson covering ABBA's "Super Trooper" (which as he pointed out is an ode to an electric spotlight), David Byrne singing Webb Pierce's "There Stands the Glass", Rufus doing a solo guitar performance of "Beautiful Child" (with the audience filling in the chromatic rise and fall) plus an encore of "Hallelujah" with Rufus on piano.

Rufus played a benefit at Highline Ballroom one day earlier. David Byrne headlined two nights at Radio City Music Hall less than a week earlier, and has another show coming up at the NJ venue Rufus and Lucy played in mid-February. More BlackoutSabbath pictures below...

Continue reading "Rufus Wainwright's BlackoutSabbath w/ special guest David Byrne & Janeane Garofalo @ City Winery, NYC - pics"

photos by Fresh Bread

Steve Earle and Allison Moorer played one of the first shows at the newly-opened City Winery in NYC on Thursday night (1/8). It wasn't just any show though. It was a "pairing"...

"Pairings is a unique 'blend' at City Winery: an intimate concert series served with fine wine that will take place on City Winery's main stage every Thursday evening, starting in January 2009. Each concert will be preceded by an optional tasting or private dinner, followed by personal performances from some of today's most respected musicians."

Venue owner Michael Dorf (of Knitting Factory fame) made an introduction, and then Steve Earle's set kicked off with "Christmas In Washington" which included a multiple minute story about Obama and the upcoming inauguration followed by "My Old Friend the Blues." The rest of his 90-or-so minute set was spattered with old ("Copperhead Road", "Jerusalem", "Guitar Town") and new ("Down Here Below", "Tennessee Blues", "Days Aren't Hard Enough").

Allison Moorer opened and then later joined her husband Steve on stage for some songs. Her set ended with a cover of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" which had everyone cheering, when she said during the intro, "It is nice to have a new president that can...talk."

Earle also mentioned his next CD will be an album of all covers by his friend Townes Van Zandt (RIP) who his oldest son, Justin Townes Earle (also a musician), is named after.

More pictures of the performers and the venue below...

Continue reading "Steve Earle & Allison Moorer @ City Winery, NYC - pics"

Calexico will be visiting NYC to play City Winery with Keren Ann on March 10th. Keren Ann and Calexico are also both playing the REM Tribute at Carnegie Hall on March 11th. The REM tribute is having its afterparty at City Winery. All Calexico dates below...

Continue reading "Calexico - 2009 Tour Dates (City Winery w/ Keren Ann)"

photo inside City Winery (Michael Dorf on stage) (from Eater)

In addition to a functioning winery and 21,000 square foot restaurant/event space, City Winery is also equipped with a full stage, state-of-the-art sound system and in-house A/V-making it one of the most interesting venues to ever hit Manhattan. Whether you are planning a private party, a public concert or an intimate evening of music and/or the spoken word, City Winery's stage and staff can accommodate a variety of live performances and cultural activities that will appeal to sophisticated New Yorkers, and wine connoisseurs, alike.

All known upcoming City Winery events are listed below...

Continue reading "shows @ City Winery (Philip Glass, Rufus Wainwright, etc)"

Throwing Muses with Kristen Hersh, Kimya Dawson, Ingrid Michaelson, Glenn Hansard of The Frames & Swell Season, Apples in Stereo, Tommy James and the Shondells, Jolie Holland, Keren Ann, Guster, The Db's, Bob Mould, Vic Chesnutt & Elf Power, Rachel Yamagata, Calexico, Patti Smith, and others will be singing R.E.M. songs at Carnegie Hall on March 11th. "100% of net proceeds to benefit musical education programs for underprivileged youth." Regular tickets are on sale at the venue's site. VIP tickets are available at the event's own site (thx rajohn)...

Your VIP ticket includes entrance to the private artist reception taking place at City Winery featuring cuisine designed by Mario Batali. Food will be delicious and the free wine will be flowing. Join the artists and friends in New York's first full winery and amazing new event space. The party will start immediately after the concert and go to 1am. With a full stage and sound system at City Winery, we expect many musical surprises!

Patti Smith also just added a 3rd show at Bowery Ballroom. Tix are now on sale..

Tickets are still on sale for Kimya Dawson's upcoming show at Bowery Ballroom.

Vic Chetnutt & Elf Power are also touring and playing NYC together in January.

Pro-shot video of R.E.M.'s encore in Mexico City the other day, below...

Continue reading "Music of R.E.M. @ Carnegie Hall w/ Patti Smith, Kimya Dawson, Calexico, Bob Mould & others (by Michael Dorf)"

Steve Earle & Allison Moorer @ Judson Church (more by Chris La Putt)

Will City Winery be a hit? The idea that music events and high-end private parties could generate additional revenue convinced Matthew Sperling, managing director of equity capital markets at Jefferies & Co., to become one of the winery's first investors. It was a decision he says he came to ``over many bottles of wine.'' And, of course, he's making his own barrel.

Dorf admits that ``the credit crunch is affecting my nerves.'' One investor has pulled out, and the $15,000 premier barrel category hasn't had any traction in the past three weeks. Still, a third of the barrels have been sold to a diverse group of New Yorkers, from group president of JP Morgan Mutual Funds George Gatch to supermodel Petra and artist Chuck Close.

Dorf is taking no chances. This week he's launching a ``community barrel'' category (about $1,500) for those willing to share with five like-minded strangers. (Think of it as the latest singles opportunity.)

He's also revamping next year's music plans.

``My idea of having Sting appear at a $1,000-ticket concert would have worked six months ago, but the game has changed in the past five or six days,'' he says. Thursday night ``pairing'' events start in January, with Grammy Award-winning Steve Earle and his wife, Allison Moorer, followed by singer-songwriters Suzanne Vega and Marc Cohn. [Bloomberg]

Continue reading "will City Winery survive in this economy?"

Godfrey Reggio, Philip Glass & WNYC @ Prospect Park, 7/25/08 (heartonastick)

Designed as an elegant restaurant with a wine cellar, it will have a two-tier membership program offering private concerts and other events. (At the upper level members can also make their own barrels of wine.)

It will open this fall, Mr. Dorf said, adding that he wanted to have singer-songwriters and jazz performers one or two nights a week. "I really think that all those people who were coming to the Knitting Factory in 1988 and 1991 are going to appreciate how we're developing this space to really enjoy performance and culture," Mr. Dorf said. The first confirmed booking is Philip Glass, who will play four nights in March. [NY Times]

"Michael Dorf is a builder. He has founded several different businesses and non-profit organizations including the highly popular Knitting Factory in New York and Los Angeles, The Digital Club Network, Tribeca Hebrew, Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival, Oyhoo Music Festival, and the much anticipated City Winery." [Michael Dorf]

"City Winery blends both a wine bar/event space with a fully operational winery in New York City - the first in a major urban cosmopolitan environment. High quality grapes will be sourced from a variety of vineyards in California, Oregon, Washington, New York, Chile, and Argentina. The facility will open in Fall 2008." [City Winery]