photos by Chris La Putt

Nina Persson covering Kate Bush @ Le Poisson Rouge

In exciting new album news:

"The legendary singer KATE BUSH will release her brand new studio album 50 Words For Snow via Anti-Records this November 21st. You can preview the record beginning today, November 14 when it streams in its entirety care of NPR's First Listen series.

50 Words For Snow features 7 new tracks set against a background of falling snow, with a total running time of 65 minutes; through a highly evocative musical and lyrical landscape this haunting album once again pushes the boundaries. This is KATE's second album release of 2011, following Director's Cut which was released in May to massive critical acclaim.

The new album features a small number of special guest musicians including Elton John.

On Saturday night, 11/12, in NYC, Kate Bush was the subject of a Losers Lounge tribute show at LPR, presented by Joe McGinty and Amy Miles, and with special guests Karen Elson, Nina Persson, Corn Mo, etc.. You can see everyone that did a cover via the setlist which is under the rest of the pictures and two videos from the event below.

Losers Lounge's next victim is Diana Ross who they'll be paying tribute to at Joe's Pub at five shows in three days in December.

More pictures, video & setlist from the Kate Bush show below...

Continue reading "Losers Lounge & friends paid tribute to Kate Bush whose new album is streaming now (pics, setlist, video)"

Book fans take note of the Brooklyn Book Fest schedule, with "bookend" events starting today (9/15) and running through Sunday (9/18). One of the many events is a musical evening at Goodbye Blue Monday tonight....

Bovary? A tango for Anna Karenina? Every title, author and genre is fodder for songs written and performed by local musicians including Corn Mo, Phoebe Kreutz, Franz Nicolay, Sweet Soubrette, Dan and Rachel and Natti Vogel, inspired by Keith Richards' autobiography. Hosted by Susan Hwang.

Another takes place at Issue Project Room. The actual festival is on Sunday.

Last week Littlefield wasn't listing any more editions of "Hot Tub" on their schedule, but it is in fact back tonight (2/7). Corn Mo, Brent Sullivan, Adam Cayton-Holland, and Free Love Forum will all join Kurt Braunohler (but maybe not Kristen) at the Brooklyn venue this evening. There's also a lineup listed for 2/14 - "Found Footage Festival, Sandra Bauleo, Surprise Guests, + more!" (and Kristen's name is on that bill).

Tonight is also another edition of Kevin Allison's Risk! Storyslam at the Pit, and of course Whiplash at UCB (with Jay Pharoah, Adam Cayton-Holland, Brooke Van Poppelen & Roger Hailes).

Speaking of UCB, the Chris Gethard Show returns to the venue on February 19th. Chris recently returned from a tour that kicked off with some help from Diddy.

Speaking of Diddy (not actually), the great Reggie Watts has announced another big headlining show. Having already sold out Manhattan's Highline Ballroom, his next big NYC conquest will be Brooklyn's Music Hall of Williamsburg on March 30th. Tickets for the "partially seated show" go on sale Friday at noon.

Reggie will also join Eugene Mirman (and Kumail Nanjiani) for a special Boston edition of "Pretty Good Friends" on March 1st. Meanwhile catch the next edition of Mirman's "Pretty Good Friends" at its usual home of Union Hall in Park Slope this Sunday (2/13), and don't miss the extra-large Brooklyn edition coming to the Bell House on 2/27 in honor of Michael Showalter's new book.

And speaking of The Bell House and new books...

TUE 2/8: 8pm / FREE
JON GLASER BOOK RELEASE PARTY
Please join us for an evening of readings and music from Jon Glaser's new book "My Dead Dad Was In ZZ Top" (Harper Perennial), followed by general hanging out good times. Paul Rudd, Scott Adsit, John Hodgman, Zoe Lister-Jones, Ira Kaplan, Jon Hamm, and other special guests are scheduled to appear. Books will be on sale, plus the first 25 people to purchase books receive a special free un-named gift!

That's like half the cast of the new New Pornographers video all in one place and it's free!

Last but not least, Tuesday night live comedy series "Tell Your Friends" (who are advertisng a secret musical guest for this Tuesday's show) are releasing a movie! Trailer (starring Reggie Watts, Kurt Braunohler, Kristen Schaal and many others) and more details below...

Continue reading "Hot Tub, Reggie Watts, Whiplash, Jon Glaser's book, Tell Your Friends the movie, Chris Gethard & more shiat"

Prince Rama @ PS1 last Saturday (more by Andrew St. Clair)

today in NYC
* Whiplash @ UCB
* It Is It comedy @ Pianos
* Lazer Crystal @ Death By Audio??
* Bruce Brubaker, piano @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Logan Richardson Quartet @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Empire of the Sun, Juan Maclean (DJ set) @ Terminal 5
* Nite Jewel, Violens, Prince Rama, Silk Flowers @ Mercury Lounge
* Bad Dream, Dangerbird, Gholas (member of Deathbeds) & Dutchguts @ Lit Lounge
* .357 Lover, Sweet Soubrette, Amazing Amy, Carla Rhodes, Harlen Muir, Gabe Pacheco @ Knitting Factory
* Sam Cooper of Horse Feathers, Glass Anchors, Jack and The Pulpits @ Cake Shop
* Xray Eyeballs, Dubknowdub, These Days (Kronner Burger/Sto & Frankie's Birthday Bash) @ Bruar Falls (free)
* Packway Handle Band, Shinkoyo Night with Skeletons, Salamander Wool, Jenny Graff (Metalux), Blondes (DJ Set) @ Zebulon

Bruce Brubaker will be playing the music of music of Nico Muhly (New York premiere), Philip Glass, John Cage, and Alvin Curran on pianos at Le Poisson Rouge tonight. It's an early show before: Logan Richardson Quartet with Nasheet Waits, Tarus Mateen, and Jason Moran at the same venue.

The free comedy lineup at Pianos tonight includes John Mulaney (SNL), Ali Waller (Late Night w/Jimmy Fallon, Julian McCollough (Comedy Central), and Kevin Bartini (Comedy Central).

Nite Jewel played a solo set at Cake Shop last night and continues her August NYC run with a show at Mercury Lounge tonight.

Prince Rama, who recently played PS1, is also on the Mercury Lounge bill (as is Violens).

Lazer Crystal played Cake Shop last night too and were supposed to play Death By Audio tonight but their show is no longer listed, so I don't know. Check out their video for Love Rhombus below.

Corn Mo and his band .357 Lover bring a cast of interesting characters to Knitting Factory tonight (Sweet Soubrette - Sweet Songs on the Uke, Amazing Amy - Contortionist from America's Got Talent, Carla Rhodes - America's Ventriloquist Girlfriend, and Harlen Muir - Accordion songman with Jason Trachtenburg). A video flyer is below.

Will Sheff is playing the Living Room on Tuesday.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday?"

by Andrew Frisicano

Bushwick Book Club, the series that challenges songwriters to tackle a new literary subject each month at Goodbye Blue Monday, will be hosting a double-bill of sorts on Tuesday, April 6th (tonight). The usual themed event will be happening and will focus on songs about Dolly Parton's memoir My Life And Other Unfinished Business. Performers include Major Matt Mason, Franz Nicolay (via Skype), Maria Sonevytsky, Susan Hwang, Sarah Pappalardo, I Feel Awesome, DanyJulieyDany, Angela Carlucci, Matthew Varvil and Joe Crow Ryan.

The second part of the evening is that the show is also a release party for The Bushwick Book Club, Volume 1: 2009, a 58-song MP3 CD of songs from the first year of the Book Club by Franz Nicolay, Corn Mo, Jeffrey Lewis, Phoebe Kreutz and more. A fuller list with a bigger version of the artwork by Jeffrey Lewis, below.

Six of the 58 (including Franz's Watchmen-themed song) are streaming on the Book Club's Myspace.

The reading assignments for 2010 and a list of more artists that appear on the CD, below...

Continue reading "Bushwick Book Club releasing a CD, hosting more shows "

Evelyn Evelyn, Amanda Palmer's new project with Seattle musician/busker Jason Webley, NYC composer Sxip Shirey and other artists know for their vaudevillian and just general wacky ways. They'll be hitting the road this April, May and June. The show travels Europe and North America, and includes a six-night run at NYC's Lucille Lortel Theatre from June 8-13. Ticket info coming soon.

The album is co-produced by Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley, and is out now in a bunch of different packages (including an 11 million dollar offer to travel the world from Himalayas and Antarctica to Western Massachusetts). The concept behind the project is that the two Evelyns are a ("fictional"?) pair of conjoined twins.

EVELYN and EVELYN NEVILLE are a songwriting duo performing original compositions on piano, ukulele, guitar and accordion. The sisters are parapagus tripus dibrachius twins, sharing three legs, two arms, three lungs, two hearts and a single liver.

Born September 11, 1985 on a small farm on the Kansas-Colorado border, the Evelyns have traveled the greater part of North America performing with "Dillard & Fullerton's Illusive Traveling Show". Their unique musical style is inspired by their many eclectic influences - from 80's music to showtunes, Joy Division to the Andrews Sisters.

The sisters currently reside in Walla Walla, Washington. They are fluent in chicken and their favorite colors are purple and yellow.

Songs are streaming on the project's Myspace.

The record's extensive list of guests and all tour dates (with details on how to hook the touring band of 5 people up with lodging and food) are below...

Continue reading "Evelyn Evelyn is Amanda Palmer & friends - new album & tour dates including 6 nights @ NYC's Lucille Lortel Theatre"

by Andrew Frisicano

Andrew W.K. w/ Fucked Up in Brooklyn on November 5th (more by Jake Forney)

One of the best kept secrets in the entertainment industry, Jonté is known to the stars as a virtuoso choreographer, able to bring out the beast in his clientelle, which includes Beyonce Knowles among others. As a solo act, he brings it on all fronts, executing the freshest moves while spitting the fiercest vocal heard. His unique urban fem style is shattering culture barriers and leaving liberation in its wake. - Santos website

Jonté and a crew of Santos regulars that include Cherie Lily, Bad Brilliance, Narcissister and DJs Roxy Cottontail and Andrew W.K. will be at the club for a party on Thursday, January 28th. Tickets are on sale. We have two pairs of tickets to give away (one of which comes with a bottle of champagne signed by Andrew W.K.). Details are below.

As previously mentioned, Andrew W.K. has quite a bit going on in the coming months. He appears at Joe's Pub on February 11th as part of Gonzales' residency there. He'll be answering your questions at Santos on February 23rd (the same day he releases a new album), and he'll be on Warped Tour this summer.

Andrew W.K. produced a new album for performance artist/cabaret singer/songwriter Baby Dee, though not her next upcoming record A Book of Songs for Anne Marie, which comes out March 23rd on Drag City (pushed back from its original January release date). An album and book with the same name was released by Dee in 2004, but Dee points out "this is a new version of the album, now produced and arranged by Maxim Moston from Antony and the Johnsons." The album Andrew worked on does not yet have a name or release date. He has also played as part of Baby Dee's band in the past,

On February 4th Andrew will be part of "We Sing Baby Dee! #3," a night at Joe's Pub organized by composer Sxip Shirey and dedicated to "Interpretations of the songs of Baby Dee." Also performing will be Corn Mo, Little Annie and Paul Wallfisch, Curtis Eller, Aimee Curl, Lance Horne, Mathew and Sarah, Philip Raia and Lila, "a special guest appearance by 9 year old singer Frankky Lou Hightower from Kansas City" and Baby Dee herself. Tickets are on sale.

Baby Dee will also be performing at The Stone the next night (2/5) with cellist Matthew Robinson. Baby Dee will be touring extensively this February and March in Europe and April and May in North America.

All tour dates, contest info and videos are below...

Continue reading "Baby Dee playing shows, touring, releasing album --- collaborator Andrew WK playing too (win tix & champagne)"

Like Pee Wee's Playhouse, but real - The Trachtenburgs

Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players are taking their show on the road in July. The variety show/vaudeville act/sing-along band will travel down the East Coast over the course of three weeks.

Before that, the Trachtenburgs will play a headlining show at (Le) Poisson Rouge on Thursday, July 2nd. Joining them will be Tammy Faye Starlite and .357 Lover (Corn Mo's band). Tickets are on sale.

That band will stop home in NYC for a few days mid-tour. In that time, they'll be two free performances (or episodes as the case may be) of Rachel Trachtenburg's Homemade World, the youngest member's spin-off project. Both of those will be on July 12th: first at Solar One's Citysol (11:30 AM), then at the Beach at Governors Island (3:00 PM). The Governors Island show is a collaboration with Wakka Wakka Productions, "known for their creative and entertaining puppetry." The program describes the show as "a magical journey of music, reading, puppetry and live performance to find out Where The Wild Things Are."

You can see a few clips of Rachel Trachtenburg's Homemade World the TV Show, which looks amazing, and a preview of Rachel's new band, The Oh My God Girls, with other videos and all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players - July 2009 Tour Dates (LPR w/ Corn Mo, Citysol & Governors Island) "

Comedian and musician Dave Hill was summoned to Bonnaroo this past weekend to be part of both the comedy and music going-ons at the four-day Tennessee festival. I asked if he'd mind sharing his experiences (and pictures) with BrooklynVegan.com. He agreed. I regretted it. He sent it anyway, so here it is (starting with some MP3's by his rock band Valley Lodge), but warning: this post is not for the squeamish (NSFTS)...

DOWNLOAD: Valley Lodge - All of My Lovin (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Valley Lodge - Hangin On (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Valley Lodge - The Door (MP3)

Dave Hill tests face-melting licks out on some chairs

I've just returned from four magical days and nights at Bonnaroo, where my rock band Valley Lodge was the house band for Triumph the Insult Comic Dog's "Bonnapoo 2009" shows, which featured all sorts of awesomeness from Robert Smigel aka Triumph as well as sets from the great Todd Barry, Amy Schumer, and Kumail Nanjiani.

"Smigel performed four sets as Triumph at Bonnaroo, which annually hosts a comedy tent along with its smorgasbord of music acts, spread out over five main stages on a farm in rural Tennessee.

"My live act is a huge undertaking because Triumph kind of thrives on the immediate, discussing what everybody's thinking about," said Smigel while whisking past festival-goers in a golf cart, puppet on hand." [AP]

The excitement started on Wednesday night when I got on a plane to Nashville with my close personal friend Janeane Garofalo, Pete Holmes, Kumail Nanjiani, and the rest of my rock band Valley Lodge. If you've ever wanted to be on a completely hilarious plane, you could do a lot worse than to have been on this plane. As you can probably imagine, all of us were running back and forth between our seats spraying each other with seltzer bottles and throwing pies in each others' faces. At one point, Pete Holmes came over to my seat to shake my hand and it turned out he had one of those joy buzzers on his finger. Man, was my face red. I got him back though by spraying him in the face with a prank flower I was wearing at the time. We both just laughed and laughed after this happened. He couldn't stay mad at me.

Once we got to Nashville, some unmarked vehicles took us all to Murfreesboro, the popular Tennessee town where we all stayed at the Doubletree Hotel, which is really classy. Because I snore and also like to get up to all sorts of hardcore banging in hotels, I had my own room. When I dropped off my bags, I looked around the room and got all excited about all the snoring and hardcore banging I would be doing in my room over the next few days and nights.

continued below...

Continue reading "What It's like to be a VIP at Bonnaroo 2009 by Dave Hill"

Rumor has it that LES spot Rockwood Music Hall (196 Allen Street, NY, NY) will be expanding its current, limited-capacity venue. Have you heard that?

The intimate venue, is known for being a great place to see a live show and for hosting surprise/secret performances by well-known artists like Ryan Adams and Norah Jones (under the guise of side-bands like The Sloppy Joannes and Puss n Boots). In fact, Puss n Boots ("P n B") is scheduled to perform at Rockwood on Saturday, May 9th. They played Mercury Lounge earlier this year.

The next night, Sunday, May 10th, the venue's Second Sundays series will host its "closing concert" from 6-8pm with special guests. The series organizer Danielle writes that the event is transitioning "from a monthly event to special event format. For now, let's just say...it's less, 'all good things come to an end' and more, 'good things come to those who wait.'" Performers for the event include Jonathan Spottiswoode, Elizabeth Ziman, Paul Brill, Jamie Leonhart, Casey Shea, Sasha Dobson (who is 1/3 of Puss n Boots) and Becky and Nathan Bliss of Barnaby Bright.

At Rockwood later the same night will be singer/accordianist/keyboardist Corn Mo (who opened for Dead Milkmen at the Warsaw in April), and a mysterious "Bushranger." (any clue?)

Casey Shea, in addition to playing Sunday the 10th, is also playing Rockwood tonight (5/6). He goes on long after Jeremiah Lockwood of The Sway Machinery, and right before a mysterious "Archibald Hext" (Ari Hest?). Check Rockwood's site for their latest full schedule.

Last night (May 5th), Corn Mo played the Bushwick Book Club (not at Rockwood), a first Tuesdays event in Brooklyn where songwriters compose and perform original tunes inspired a selected book. This month's subject was Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Other performers included event organizer Susan Hwang, Natti Vogel, Josh Deeter, Lady Blanche, Anna Leuchtenberger, Duck and Swallow, Joe Crow Ryan, Sara Lautman, Andrea Larose, Dan Costello, and Rachel Devlin. Franz Nicolay of the Hold Steady performed at the series' March edition, which focused on the novella Flatland. He's on the schedule again for June 2nd, when the collective inspiration will come from Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.

Flyers, videos & Corn Mo clips, below...

Continue reading "Rockwood Music Hall expanding? - upcoming shows include Corn Mo, Puss n Boots, 'Archibald Hext' & 'Bushranger'"

photos by Lori Baily

"it was awesome!" [Anonymous | April 18, 2009 7:17 PM]

"It was lame." [Anonymous | April 19, 2009 1:38 AM]

More pictures and the setlist from Friday night's show, below...

Continue reading "Dead Milkmen & Corn Mo @ Warsaw in NYC - pics & setlist"

"Gordon Gano (born on June 7, 1963) is the lead singer and guitarist from the band Violent Femmes.During a Violent Femmes hiatus in the late 1980s, Gano formed a gospel group called The Mercy Seat (band) with vocalist Zena Von Heppinstall, bassist Patrice Moran, and drummer Fernando Menendez. The group released one album in 1987 on Slash Records. Gano released his first solo album in 2002, titled Hitting the Ground. He shared vocal duties (singing in Portuguese) with Manuel Cruz, the lead singer of the famous Portuguese rock band Ornatos Violeta in the song Capitão Romance for the last album released before their break-up, O Monstro Precisa de Amigos in 1999. Gano also played violin[3] on Ben Vaughn's 1990 album Dressed in Black. Currently, Gano is writing, recording and performing with ex-members of The Bogmen, Billy and Brendan Ryan, under the name GanoRyan." [Wikipedia]

That Wiki entry probably needs to be updated because actually the band playing the Bell House in Brooklyn tonight (1/29) is billed at Gordon Gano and The Ryan Brothers. Last time they played a show, that I remember, was March 10th at Mercury Lounge under the name "Hired Gun". They may have also played Knitting Factory in Manhattan since then too.

Tonight's (their first Brooklyn?) show is also chock full of interesting local openers. They are Corn Mo, The Lisps, and Drink Up Buttercup.

Gordon Gano and The Ryan Brothers also have a show coming up February 7th at The Strand Theatre in Lakewood, NJ.