"For the first time ever, two pioneering rock legends, Blondie and Pat Benatar, will share the stage on the Call Me Invincible tour. They will be joined by special guests The Donnas. They will embark on a trek across the U.S., beginning in Saratoga, CA on July 21st and ending August 23rd in Houston, TX. The Blondie and Benatar ticket gives fans of all ages three decades of hits from the two female rock icons for the price of one! Says Blondie front woman Deborah Harry, "Pat Benatar is not only a friend, but a fearless female rocker who has entertained me and her wealth of fans for so many years. This will be a reunion for us both and being able to bring our two shows to fans across the country is very exciting!" Between Blondie and Benatar, the tour will feature songs from a combined ten Platinum albums, eight #1 Hits and countless other favorites including "Heart of Glass," "Heartbreaker," "Call Me," "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," "Rapture," "Invincible," "One Way or Another" and "Love is a Battlefield." Pat Benatar adds, "Deborah and I have been friends forever. I'm thrilled that we're finally getting an opportunity to tour together, it should be a blast." The tour also showcases original artwork created by New Orleans artist, Tim Neil. His unique design will be the recognizable image of the tour featuring the clever blending of both iconic faces and will also be available for purchase on select merchandise items.

Continue reading "Blondie, Pat Benatar & the Donnas - 2009 Tour Dates (includes a free show in Coney Island) "

Monotonix @ Mess With Texas (during SXSW 2009) (More)

[The Village Voice is] downright ebullient to announce the official details on this year's Siren Festival, which will, as always be free, all ages, and rain or shine. It'll take place on Saturday, July 18 at Coney Island and likely involve a crowd-surfing drummer. Without further adieu:

SIREN MUSIC FESTIVAL
At Coney Island, NYC

Saturday, July 18, 2009
Noon - 9:00pm

BUILT TO SPILL
THE RAVEONETTES
FRIGHTENED RABBIT
THE GRAND DUCHY
MONOTONIX
MICACHU & THE SHAPES

+ more TBA

Micachu is also playing the Capitol Hill Block Party in Seattle later that month.

Monotonix also has another Brooklyn show coming up much sooner.

Grand Duchy is Frank Black and Violet Clark.

Tickets are on presale (update: sold out) for the Wilco show at Keyspan Park in Coney Island (thx anon). Tickets go on regular sale Friday at noon.

Tickets for the Cyclones baseball games that happen in the same ballpark go on sale Sunday.

And speaking of Wilco and baseball, Jeff Tweedy threw the first pitch at at Milwaukee's Miller Park for the Brewers the other night.

Wilco Sold Out (photo by Zoran Orlic via wilcoworld.net)

"To celebrate the DVD release and to lend support to independent record stores, the band will make an in-store appearance at Disc Exchange in Knoxville, TN on Saturday, April 18 at 2 pm. Also as an exclusive bonus to anyone purchasing Ashes of American Flags before April 28, one complete concert drawn from a show featured in the film will be available for audio download. This exclusive concert download will only be available via an embedded link on the DVD from April 18 to April 27. This is in addition to the 20 full songs featured in the DVD and downloadable to everyone who purchases it.

Wilco have just completed work on their seventh studio album. The as-yet-untitled disc is scheduled for a late June release. Produced by Wilco and Jim Scott, it is the follow up to 2007's Sky Blue Sky."

Wilco will be playing Keyspan Park in Coney Island (Brooklyn, NY) on July 13th! Stay tuned for ticket info. All dates below...

Continue reading "Wilco - 2009 Tour Dates (Keyspan Park in Coney Island!) "

Lee Scratch Perry is hopefully playing Highline Ballroom on February 16th. Tickets are on sale. Did he ever make it to the Grammys?

Tickets are on sale for the 108 show happening at Santos Party House.

Tickets are on sale for the show Kevin Seconds is playing at Pianos.

Tickets are on sale for the Les Savy Fav show happening at Brooklyn Masonic Temple.

Maceo Parker is playing S.O.B.'s on March 19th. Tickets are on sale.

The Toasters are playing Highline Ballroom on February 22nd. Tickets are on sale.

Tickets are on sale for the Kimya Dawson show happening at Europa.

Tickets are still on sale for the Diamond Life show happening at Highline Ballroom on February 13th. Diamond Life is Nomi and others from the Hercules and Love affair band performing Sade songs.

Tickets are still on sale for the Akron/Family shows coming up at Union Pool.

The Coney Island Circus Sideshow are performing with The Hungry March Band at Highline Ballroom on February 28th. Tickets are on sale.

"We don't know about all this talk about the city negotiating with developer Joe Sitt to buy his land, incuding Astroland, in the heart of Coney Island's amusement district. What we do know for sure is that the amusement park is being dismantled. There are many photos and much discussion on the Coney Island Message Board and rumors that the rides may be sold to an amusement park in Australia. As one Coney insider told us, "when the 300 foot crane shows up to take down the Astrotower, you'll know for sure that it's over." The rides are being put in shipping containers. Both the city and Mr. Sitt have said rides will operate on the property next year." [Curbed]

Video of Coney Island in 1940 below...

Continue reading "Coney Island rides being taken down (pics) (to Australia?)"

New York City has bought the one-acre site of the Wonder Wheel for $11 million as part of the Bloomberg administration's plan to preserve the historic character of Coney Island, the city announced on Wednesday. [NY Times]

In related news, Coney Island USA will be holding a benefit at Rebel on November 3rd. Performers include lie Atlas Muz, Prof. Jo Boobs and Angie Pontani.

When Baby Dee insists that her life is "incredibly boring," one has to wonder what she's comparing it to. After all, the fifty-something, classically-trained musician has ridden a large tricycle across Europe while playing the harp, has been an elevator operator, a construction worker, a go-go girl, and for a while a circus freak - billed as a "bilateral hermaphrodite" - at Coney Island.

"It was lovely there," she recalls of Coney Island. "That whole venture was about turning the tables on people. I'd been living in that transitional hell of being gawked at in public. The sideshow taught me that when you're on stage -- or up high on a tricycle -- you can get away with things that could get you killed anywhere else." [GayWired]

Continue reading "Baby Dee - fall 2008 Tour Dates "

"Free rides and food for Thor guests on Thursdays in August. Won't see any of this next year! It'll be an empty lot. Goodbye Astroland! Farewell Break Dance!" [by me-myself-i]

The Cyclone and Wonder Wheel are landmarks though, so even after the last trace of Astroland disappears, those will always be there to ride, or at least look at like the old Parachute jump. More pictures below...

Continue reading "Astroland is closed, the Coney Island rides are for sale "

Astroland, Coney Island (Klingon65)

After 46 years of calling Coney Island home, Astroland is tearing down and packing up its rides for good.
Owners say they could not come to terms with developer Thor Equities over a lease extension.

Co-Owner Carol Hill Albert says the developer forced her hand and gave her no choice but to shut down. In a statement, Albert says, in part:

"The safety of our customers and our commitment to employees means our time has run out. Ride parts must be ordered a minimum of eight to 10 months in advance. My employees cannot live in a state of limbo any longer."

Borough President Marty Markowitz said he had wanted Astroland to stay, but wants thrills to be a permanent part of Coney Island.

"Our focus will be to bring a major amusement operator to that space in Coney Island next year. Because I truly believe that if you can make it in Coney Island you can make it anywhere," said Markowitz.

Thor Equities issued a response saying it's disappointed that Albert has decided to "give up on the future of Coney Island."

It says the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel will both reopen next summer as part of a new Coney Island landscape. [NY1]

this weekend in Coney Island...

Continue reading "2008 Coney Island Rockabilly (and Burlesque) Festival"

DOWNLOAD: 2 hours and 26 minutes of Dave Dresden for August 2008 (MP3)

Watch Her Dance, Coney Island (New York Observer)

Hopefully by the time you read this you will be recovering from some dancefloor devastation no matter what you decided to do. Options abound for the weekend as well (for those staying in town) (or those visiting):

Continue reading "the weekend in Dance w/ Showtrotta"

Originally billed as a "mystery guest", Peter Frampton will play the free concert in Coney Island tonight (at the future home of a new amphiteater). "Starship starring Mickey Thomas" is also on the bill.

Continue reading "Peter Frampton is tonight's mystery man "

Brian Wilson show in Coney Island - July 17, 2008 (Rubys Host)

Borough President Marty Markowitz brought home nearly $90 million worth of bacon in capital funding from the fiscal year 2009 city budget, according to Borough Hall documents.

Leading the charge were two of Markowitz's pet projects: a new amphitheater at Asser Levy Park in Coney Island ($29.3 million) and renovations to the historic Loew's Kings Theatre on Flatbush Avenue ($10.75 million).

"The Coney Island Center will be a much-needed community resource as well as bring to Coney Island the kind of state-of-the-art performance facility Brooklyn deserves," said Markowitz, who has been holding a summer concert series in the park since he took office.

"New York City's first covered, outdoor performance space will make our borough a natural stop on the summer concert circuit for entertainers who now play Jones Beach and Westbury Theater and the PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey," he added.

Markowitz said the amphitheatre will also serve as "a cherished landmark at the gateway to the revitalized Coney Island, and help to ensure Coney remains the 'Playground of America' for this and future generations."

According to sources, the proposed amphitheatre will have an 8,000 seating capacity, and a schematic design is in process now with a groundbreaking expected in late summer 2009. [Your Nabe]

photos by Leia Jospe

Film School

PART 0 + PART 1 + PART 2 + what is below...

Continue reading "the 2008 Coney Island Siren Festival in pictures (part 3)"

photos by Bao Nguyen

The year's festival could be the last in its established location. As usual the bands played on two stages on parallel streets leading to the boardwalk. The main stage was so close to the landmark Cyclone rollercoaster that drumrolls could easily segue into the clatter of the coaster rounding a turn.

Siren isn't the most comfortable of rock festivals. The sound systems are mediocre and the pedestrian routes between the stages are irrational. But Siren does place the tattooed-nerd fashion sense of indie rock in the diverting context of Coney Island's other freaks and sideshows.

A prospective redevelopment, replacing the old amusement area, could break ground next year. The rides of Astroland, next to the Siren main stage, were supposed to close forever last year, but reopened this year in a reprieve. The area's fate is still hanging. "It's my first time here," said Kevin Drew, the leader of Broken Social Scene, as the band ended its set. "I don't want it to be the last."
[NY Times]

Continue reading "the 2008 Coney Island Siren Festival in pictures (part 2)"

photos by Bao Nguyen

Siren Festival Girl - m4w - 32 (* see below)

hey...you know who you are...we exchanged glances, (or was i suffering from heat stroke and imagining the whole thing??). you are the adorable indie-looking girl
approx 25-30. * this was either at the dodos, ra ra riot, steven malkmus, bss, the boardwalk, surf ave...

after i saw you i had to jump in the ocean to cool off, and i think i may have ingested discarded medical waste in the process, so don't you see...i am very deserving of your reply. [Craigslist] (via)

Continue reading "the 2008 Coney Island Siren Festival in pictures (part 1)"

photos by Leia Jospe

Continue reading "The 2008 Siren Music Festival in Polaroids"

DOWNLOAD: The Glass May DJ Mix (zSHARE MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Star Eyes - Strobe Attack mix (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: NROTB - Mixtape 1 (zSHARE MP3)
DOWNLOAD: B. Rich - Live WERS 88.9fm (zSHARE MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Eine Kleine Nacht Musik - German only mixtape (MP3)

"Break Dance", Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY (bok bok)

I have been totally slacking on the going out front. Luckily this week there is plenty of really exciting dancing to be done (both when I'm here and when I'm going to be away - more on that later). On to this week:

Continue reading "July 4th weekend in Dance w/ Showtrotta (MP3s included)"

photos by Eric M Townsend

Eric stopped by the ball after the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island on Saturday (June 21, 2008). More pictures below....

Continue reading "photos from the 2008 Mermaid Parade Ball in Coney Island"

The 30th Annual Seaside Summer Concert Series performances are held Thursday nights 7:30 pm Asser Levy/Seaside Park at West 5th Street and Surf Avenue in Coney Island/Brighton Beach, across the street from the New York Aquarium.

2008, Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY
July 10 - an evening with Michael Bolton
July 17 - an evening with Brian Wilson
July 24 - Smokey Robinson, Russell Thompkins Jr. & the New Stylistics
July 31 - classic rock night w/ "mystery guest" and Starship featuring Mickey Thomas
Aug 07 - an evening with Liza Minnelli
Aug 14 - Salsa by the Sea w/ TBA
Aug 21 - Huey Lewis & The News w/ special guest Paul Thorn

Brian Wilson is playing Hammerstein Ballroom six days earlier. He also has a new album coming out.

A Huey Lewis (!?) video, and Coney Island map below....

Continue reading "2008 Seaside Summer Concert Series lineup (Brian Wilson)"

Islands and Ra Ra Riot have been added to the 2008 Village Voice Siren Festival - a free outdoor concert that takes place on two stages in Coney Island every year. This year's date is July 19th. Stephen Malkmus, Broken Social Scene and the rest of the lineup HERE.

Coney Island, August 23, 2003 (via Bjork gigography)

I'll never forget showing up late to the Bjork / Sigur Ros in Brooklyn five years ago. I was upset that I was missing it, but hearing the unmistakable music of Sigur Ros pouring out of Keyspan Park on to the streets (and boardwalk) of Coney Island completely made up for it. It's what I remember most about the show.

Bjork and Sigur Ros just announced another show together, but this time it will be in their shared home-country of Iceland....

Continue reading "Bjork is playing with Sigur Ros again....in Iceland"

Someone from The Hook got in touch to let me know that they're not going out just like that. There will be one final party at the closing venue on October 27th, and strangely - it will be a Halloween party called "The Death of Astroland" - "a laying rest of the Coney Island we all once knew". So basically the final party at the Red Hook venue will be in honor of the closing of Astroland in Coney Island. I guess, why not? More details below....

Continue reading "The Hook - not totally closed just yet"

I didn't end up seeing that much at Siren this year. I would have watched the bands all day, and I definitely wanted to see Black Lips, but I got there to late. Ends up the only artist I saw from start to finish was M.I.A. I would have watched all of Voxtrot, but it was impossible to see even one song of them since they ended up playing at the exact same time as M.I.A. I saw most of Matt & Kim, and I went back and forth from New York Dolls to Cursive twice. I wasn't 100% in the mood to watch either of them. Anyway, M.I.A. made my day....

Continue reading "M.I.A. @ the 2007 Siren Festival, Brooklyn, NY - pics"