Valient Thorr @ Roseland Ballroom (more by Chris La Putt)

today in NYC
* FREE
* Lotus @ Mercury Lounge
* NKOTB @ Nassau Coliseum
* Om & Dinosaur Jr @ the Stone Pony
* Calexico, Oakley Hall @ Webster Hall
* Rriiccee (Vincent Gallo) @ Hiro Ballroom
* Diego Garcia (of Elefant) @ The Bell House
* Wye Oak, The Lisps, El May @ Union Hall
* Plastic People of the Universe @ Joe's Pub
* Sean Hayes & surprise guest @ Union Pool
* Loudon Wainwright III @ Highline Ballroom
* Weezer & Tokyo Police Club @ Madison Square Garden
* Mom, Voices and Organs, Sam Amidon @ Glasslands
* Enablers, Le Volume Courbe, Magdyn Osh @ Cake Shop
* French Kicks, Passion Pit, Salt & Samovar @ Bowery Ballroom
* Black Mountain, Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Tomorrow is the Willie Nelson show at Radio City. Jakob Dylan is opening. The only time I ever saw Willie was when he shared a bill with Bob.

"Clay Aiken acknowledges he's gay"
"Cocaine Ring Hid Drugs in Children's Toys, Puzzles"

Dave Hill is a "big brother". Another new video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

Les Savy Fav @ ATP NY, Saturday night (staticsilence)

"Tim Harrington was his usual insano self: rubbing his big sweaty belly, changing costumes, and performing part of the show atop a ladder from backstage that was passed around the room by the audience!" [Black Bubblegum]

today in NYC
* FREE
* EPMD @ SOB's
* OM @ the Shangri-La
* Mount Eerie @ Purchase
* Low @ the Bell House
* The Bad Plus @ Village Vanguard
* Sharon Jones @ Socrates Sculpture Park
* Gemma Hayes @ the Virgin Megastore
* Benevento Russo Duo @ Spiegeltent
* New Kids On The Block @ Izod Center
* Kings of Leon, The Whigs @ Webster Hall
* My Bloody Valentine & Lilys @ Roseland Ballroom
* Steve Earle (solo and acoustic), Allison Moorer @ Judson Memorial Church
* Shugo Tokumaru, White, Twi The Humble Feather @ The Mercury Lounge
* Black Mountain, Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter @ Bowery Ballroom

Dave Hill did fashion week. Video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

Michael Showalter & Janeane Garofalo @ Union Hall -July 2007 (Bryan Bruchman)

Last year David Cross, Janeane Garofalo and Land of Talk performed at Eugene Mirman and Michael Showalter's anniversary party. This year anything can happen. $10 tickets to the July 20th Union Hall show are on sale.

In related news, Tearing the Veil of Maya will return as a weekly show at Union Hall after Labor Day. Mike Birbiglia is playing Union Hall again this Tuesday (July 15), but not before performing at UCB on Monday. Dave Hill is playing the Union Hall party at the Brooklyn Bridge in August. Dave Hill is also performing at UCB on Thursday July 17th WITH Martha Plimpton and Lucy Wainwright Roche (who recently played Southpaw with Neko Case and Eugene Mirman and Michael Showalter).

ALSO: The Del Close Marathon is coming to UCB

RECENTLY: Michael Showalter performed at McCarren Pool

AND: Fleet Foxes are playing Union Hall in Park Slope tonight. The Vaselines are playing right down the street at Southpaw in Park Slope tonight. Both Fleet Foxes and The Vaselines are then heading to Seattle to play the Sub Pop Festival this weekend along with Park Slope's Eugene Mirman (and David Cross, Patton Oswalt, Todd Barry, Flight of the Conchords and Kristen Schaal) and No Age (who are playing South Street Seaport tomorrow) and Low (who are playing Union Hall in Park Slope on September 23rd).

The Feelies @ Maxwell's - July 1, 2008 (Max Lang)

TODAY IN NYC
* FREE STUFF
* The Feelies @ Maxwell's
* High Places @ Stuvesent Town
* The Fleshtones on a Rocks Off boat
* Oxford Collapse & Frightened Rabbit @ Southpaw
* Gelmania comedy @ Rififi w/ Fred Armisen (flyer below)
* Kimya Dawson & friends @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Stomp! Boink! (videos below)

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

by Klaus Kinski

I really couldn't be happier with how awesome the comedy portions of the Brooklyn Vegan and Klaus Kinski Present Rock 'n ROFL shows at Pianos have been going. As a matter of fact, after each show is over I worry myself sick that I won't be able to put together a comedy line-up that could possibly be as good as (or better) than what I had just witnessed. I am happy to report that the tonight's installment of Rock 'n ROFL (June 18, 2008) will continue the tradition of delivering awesome comedy to y'all. The comedy will begin at 8pm sharp, so be there or risk missing:

Continue reading "Roger Hailes, Anthony Jeselnik, Dave Hill & Mike Birbiglia - funny guys who happen to be playing Rock n ROFL"

June 18th @ Pianos. All I can tell you right now is that Dave Hill will be returning as one of the comedians. I think we have to wait until the day of the show to announce the rest of it - comedy and at least two bands. Save the date. Watch a video Dave Hill made at the recent New York Comic Con below.....

Continue reading "the next Rock n ROFL is June 18th ++ Dave Hill @ Comic Con"

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

John Darnielle (aka The Mountain Goats) played solo at Friday night's benefit show at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple (May 16, 2008). He took fan suggestions for the setlist which ended up including a lot of older stuff that he usually doesn't play, as well as a new song called "Wizard Buys A Hat," which he said is the worst song title he's ever written. Rock Plaza Central, John Oliver and Dave Hill were also on the bill. More pictures from the evening below....

Continue reading "the Mountain Goats (John Darnielle), Dave Hill, John Oliver & Rock Plaza Central @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple, NYC - pics"

Doug Gillard (Guided by Voices) and John Oliver (The Daily Show) will be Dave Hill's guests at the UCB Theatre in NYC on May 22nd.

Dave Hill and John Oliver are also playing that benefit with The Mountain Goats and Rock Plaza Central at Brooklyn Masonic Temple this Friday May 16th. Tickets are still on sale!

John Oliver is also taping his show "Political Animal" @ UCB on May 21st.

Mike Birbiglia does 60 Minutes of New Comedy @ UCB on May 15th & 23rd.

Demetri Martin and Dave Hill and many other comedians will also perform at Gelmania at Rififi TONIGHT (May 14). Flyer below....

Continue reading "Doug Gillard, John Oliver, Dave Hill, Demetri Martin, etc.."

Dave Hill @ Pianos in February (more by Elizabeth Weinberg)

Supersnack's Big Third Ball: An Evening of Music, Hilarity and Hitting AIDS Where It Hurts" featuring (A BENEFIT FOR AIDS WALK NY) Featuring: The Mountain Goats, John Oliver (The Daily Show), Rock Plaza Central, Dave Hill (MTV, VH1) & more! / Presented by Redhook Ale Brewery and Goose Island Brewery.

Friday, May 16, 2008 8:00 PM EDT (7:30 PM Doors)
at Brooklyn Masonic Temple

100% of proceeds go to benefit AIDS WALK NY

PREVIOUSLY: Mountain Goats - cancel Australia. add a Brooklyn benefit

Jens Lekman, Brooklyn house party after Webster Hall Saturday (Eduardo)

* Santana @ MSG
* MGMT @ a film party
* Joell Ortiz is at SOB's
* Ray Davies @ The Beacon
* Dark Meat plays Union Pool
* Elf Power is at Union Hall
* French Kicks play Mercury Lounge
* Tapes N Tapes @ Virgin Megastore
* VHS or Beta is at Highline Ballroom
* The Duke Spirit is at Bowery Ballroom
* YA HO WHA 13 is playing Knitting Factory
* Explosions in the Sky are playing Terminal 5
* Hot Chip and Matthew Dear are playing Music Hall
* Almost Queen: a Tribute To Queen @ B.B. King Blues Club and Grill
* "One Night of Queen Performed By Gary Mullen & the Works" @ Irving

The Raconteurs added a 3rd NYC show.

"Bloomfield Vegan" announced a show at Maxwell's. Ted Leo announced a show at Castle Clinton.

Deerhunter confirms secret Deerhunter show in Brooklyn.

The Dodos are playing Siren. So are the Helio Sequence.

Dave Hill is a jedi master. Proof is in the video below. What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

words by Klaus Kinski, photos by Elizabeth Weinberg

We had our first ever Brooklynvegan and Klaus Kinski present Rock n' Rofl at Pianos on Thursday February 28th, 2008. Aside from the noise coming in from the bar everytime someone opened the door and the lack of chairs for the comedy, I thought the show went really well. An ill (literally, as in he had the flu) Peasant started off the show with some surprisingly powerful folk music.

Peasant

Comedians Joe Mande, Dave Hill, Pete Holmes, Kristen Schaal, Leo Allen, and host Bobby Tisdale were really incredible. They brought such a great variety of videos and comedic material to the table. This was my first ever comedy showcase I felt honored to have such amazing talent on the bill, and especially to be playing host to host Bobby Tisdale who had just hosted his very last Invite Them Up at Rififi only one night earlier. It was a bummer Kurt Braunohler couldn't make it last minute (because a wizard turned him into a llama), but Kristen did a great job handling it on her own, and the world premiere showing of the new New Pornographers video that they both star in was an extra special treat.

Bobby Tisdale

Continue reading "the next Rock 'n' ROFL is March 31st @ Pianos - save the date ++++++++++++ the pics from last time finally!"

Waggytail Animal Rescue is a non-profit organization that rescues and rehabilitates animals from the NYC shelters. All proceeds from this show go directly to the care of the animals.

DOWNLOAD: Peasant - Exposure (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Forms - Knowledge In Hand (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Bear in Heaven - Bag of Bags (MP3)

BV & KK present.....Rock 'n' ROFL -- TH, Feb 28, 2008 @ Pianos, NYC

7:30 - Peasant
8:30 - comedy hosted by Greg Johnson
10:00 - The Forms
11:00 - Bear in Heaven (pictured above)

Continue reading "Peasant & Bear in Heaven playing ROCK 'n' ROFL + free beer"

"The Paul Green School of Rock All Stars featuring Gibby Haynes performing the music of The Butthole Surfers". That's the description of the show at Highline Ballroom in NYC Sunday night. Children of the Unicorn is opening that show. Comedian Dave Hill plays in the band Children of the Unicorn, and Dave Hill created the below video to help you not "spend another Valentine's Day alone in your bathroom crying into a sponge".....

Continue reading "Dave Hill's Love Report, Gibby Haynes, Butthole Surfers"

DOWNLOAD: The Forms - Knowledge in Hand (MP3)

Greg Johnson @ Knitting Factory, NYC - Jan 29, 2008 (Anya Garrett)

It is with an unprecedented amount of glee that I annouce a new monthly party brought to you by BrooklynVegan and I (Klaus Kinski) called BrooklynVegan and Klaus Kinski present Rock n' ROFL (or just "Rock n' ROFL" for short).

Taking place at Pianos in NYC (158 Ludlow Street at Stanton), the purpose of the show is to bring you a night of great comedy and music in an intimate setting. Our premiere installment will take place on Thursday February 28th, 2008, and will be hosted by ECNY Award winner Greg Johnson. There will also be comedy by Pete Holmes, Dave Hill, Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler, Leo Allen, and maybe more TBA. Maybe. After the comedy comes two bands (approximately something like 8-10pm comedy, 10-12 bands). The first band is one of my favorites The Forms, and the second band will be announced soon. Your sides will hurt from laughing, your ears will hurt from the loud music, and your liver will hurt from all the booze you're going to drink. It's gonna be great! (ticket info TBA soon)

---

No members of Human Giant are performing at the premiere show - at least partially because they'll be out on tour.

Fred Armisen definitely won't be joining us either - at least partially because we uknowingly scheduled this show the same night as his own at Knitting Factory.

Can't make our show, but still want to see the Forms? Or you want to see them twice? Or you love Gothamist? Catch The Forms and Pattern is Movement at Union Hall on February 15th (13 days before our show).

You can watch all the funny videos nominated for ECNY awards, below.....

Continue reading "5 ECNY-nominated "Best Short Comedic Film" videos"

Dave Hill, Stockings w/ Care benefit @ Comix, NYC - Dec 6, 2007 (CRED)

* Led Zeppelin
* Robert Pollard art
* Best of 2007 by Dave Hill
* High Places @ Death By Audio
* Yo La Tengo & The New Pornographers
* Daniel Kitson, Eugene Mirman & Human Giant @ UCB
* Justice, Mos Def & White Williams @ Bowery Ballroom

What else?

the first in a series where we asked comedians to tell us what was good this year....

Dave Hill is a great man. He's a very busy musician, comedian, actor, writer, and taste-maker. He's got his own show on Mojo called King of Miami as well as a recurring live comedy/variety/chat show in NYC called The Dave Hill Explosion. You can also catch Mr. Hill tearing his audience a new one as guitarsmith for the band Children of the Unicorn. Mr. Hill took time out of his insane schedule to give BV readers his list of the best music to come out of 2007. -Klaus

---

It usually takes me a couple years to realize that an album has come out, but here is some of the stuff I managed to discover in a timely fashion this year:

BLACK SABBATH, The Dio Years- No matter what someone might be talking about, if they are able to make reference to “the Dio years” at some point you know it’s got to be pretty magical. In a perfect world, “Heaven and Hell” would just blast repeatedly from loudspeakers everywhere, all the time. Also, people would carry torches.

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT, Release the Stars- Rufus is one of few musicians today that people will still listen to in a hundred years and stuff. Plus, he wears lederhosen on stage, which just makes everything sound better if you ask me.

HIGH ON FIRE, Death Is This Communion- There are so many hot riffs on this record that I feel like whipping my dick out or something.

NEW PORNOGRAPHERS, Challengers- There are so many hot melodies on this record that I feel like whipping my dick out or something.

DOWN, Over the Under- This is not the best album by this band. Still, I think it’s important to support evil (and heavy riffs played by men with beards while wearing black sleeveless T-shirts) in all its forms, so I’m standing behind this one.

Continued below....

Continue reading "Best of 2007 by Dave Hill"

The writers strike (as seen in the photo above) has caused two NYC shows to look for a new home. That means 150 lucky people are going to see a live performance of Saturday Night Live at the UCB Theatre, and another 150 will get to see 30 Rock.

Proceeds from the sale of tickets to "30 Rock" - priced at a modest $20 - will go to the Writers Guild strike fund, the Web site says.

The writers' strike, which began 10 days ago, immediately shut down production of "SNL" and "30 Rock" because so many of the stars also write the shows. [NY Post] (via)

For a more sure bet, stop by the UCB at 9:30 tonight for a performance of the Dave Hill Explosion with special guests Lady Bunny and Touching You. Tickets are still available.

The Plimpton-Wainwright-Hill connection surfaces again....:

Lucy Wainwright Roche Birthday Party with special guests:
Loudon Wainwright, Dave Hill, David Rakoff, Martha Plimpton and more TBA!
@ Joe's Pub in NYC on December 16, 2007

also keep reading for Moby, comedian Dave Hill & Hal Sparks

Tragedy @ Highline Ballroom, NY - Sept 2, 2007 (CRED)

Luckily, this isn't really about metal, it's about novelty metal. Sunday night, the Highline Ballroom brought together not one, not two, not three, but four of our area's finest examples of metal schtick. I only saw one of them, actually. I missed Boyz Nite (known for their "Die Hard" song), Queen Diamond (teenage girl King Diamond tribute) and Beatallica (you can figure it out). I came specifically to see Tragedy, the Number One All-Metal Beegees Tribute Band in the Tri-State Area. And more specifically, I came because I'm friends with the bassist. [Soundbites]

Ween

Ween are set to release their next album La Cucaracha on October 23, 2007 on Rounder Records. Wait...Rounder Records? What do you have to say about that Dean Ween?

The guy from Rounder drove down to New Hope from Massachusetts and took us to lunch. We've been on a lot of labels the past 23 years and had a lot of lunches and we've heard a lot of "pitches". After making small talk for the first 20 minutes I finally felt like I should ask him something, anything-- since he drove all the way down here. The only thing I could come up with was "are there any other bands on Rounder comparable to Ween? I mean when I think of Rounder Records I think of all those Thorogood records and mostly folk type stuff." He said "no, not really." We all started laughing and the decision was made in our minds right there that this was where we needed to be. Later that night we watched the Red Sox game at our studio and then he drove back to Boston t he next day. That's the whole story, and now Ween is on Rounder. Anyway, it's not my job to critique Ween and measure one of our records against another, but I will say that we are super happy with La Cucaracha, we consider it to be a party record, unlike our last record which was more of a Jonestown type party vibe.

"no, not really." (Izzy, Slash & Axl @ Bowery Ballroom)

More like NO, NOT REALLY BROKEN UP. Tickets are now on sale for a Mr. Brownstone reunion show at Bowery Ballroom on November 10th (they were broken up for a whole year and four months). They're also playing the Paradise in Boston on December 15th, and tickets are about to go on sale for that one too.

And speaking of metal reunions, Satanicide (who share a member with Mr. Brownstone) is also back! Possibly broken up for an even less amount of time, or maybe more - who can keep track....

On the heels of their sold-out Fillmore at Irving Plaza performance in August, SATANiCiDE will reunite for a one last show (at Bowery Ballroom this Friday September 7th). Making the 17 mile trek from Jer-Z with SATANiCiDE will also be Moby, and comedian Hal Sparks of Showtime's, "Queer as Folk". Other special guests include Suicide Girls, and SATANiDANCER, (and girlfriend of SATANiCiDE's Aleister Cradley) Peg Ramon-Stamos.

"How envious we are of you, all our fans", says SATANiCiDE lead singer Devlin Mayhem. "Unlike you, we will not be able to see our own show. We will be too busy rokking to witness the greatest spectacle of rokk this side of the Holland Tunnel".

Sharing the stage will be the recently Warped-toured THE NOTORIOUS MSG. Blasting out of the streets of Chinatown, THE NOTORIOUS MSG have arrived with a vengeance. Serving up deep-fried beats straight from the Chinese ghetto, they will not stop until they achieve complete world domination.

But wait - what about TRAGEDY? Well, besides sharing a member (Phil) with Satanicide and Dave Hill's band Children of the Unicorn, not to mention Hair Suppply, Tragedy will in fact be opening at all three reunion shows - first for Satanicide at Bowery, and then at both of the Mr. Brownstone gigs.

BONUS POINTS: Now see if you can match this all up with the related post from over 2 years ago. Rock.

DOWNLOAD: The Mugs - Frank (MP3)

Dave Hill & John Hodgman @ UCB, NYC - June 21, 2007 (CRED)

It was almost a year ago that I said "Union Hall | a new Brooklyn music venue in Park Slope", and so it's time to celebrate:

"Union Hall presents our 1st anniversary week!"
July 09: MATTHEW CAWS (of Nada Surf) + THE RAVEN MAYHEM + guest MC Sara Schaefer
July 10: JONATHAN COULTON + special guests + MC Dave Hill
July 11: SECRET SCIENCE CLUB with Nobel prize winning neuroscientist ERIC KANDEL
July 12: TIM FITE + THE MUGS + guest MC Reggie Watts
July 14: 8pm: ENON + special guests

Nada Surf @ Brooklyn Ale House - June 3, 2007 (CRED) (post-Domino)

Related facts

• Matthew Caws was recently spotted at the White Stripes show, and was last seen at Union Hall on stage with John Vanderslice.
• MC Sara Schaefer hosts a (weekly?) game of "Name that Tune" at Union Hall - the next one is June 24th.
• Jonathan Coulton and Dave Hill were last seen on stage together LAST NIGHT! Dave Hill will be on stage again with his band Children of the Unicorn at Mercury Lounge tonight!
• Dave Hill once MC'd a show that The Mugs played at.
• Reggie Watts is hosting ROFL at Joe's Pub TONIGHT
• Gabby Glaser of Luscious Jackson is playing Union Hall on June 28th.
• Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals is playing Union Hall on September 22nd.

Michael Showalter @ Sasquatch - May 29, 2007 (CRED) (Develop Don't Destroy!)

Michael Showalter, co-host of the weekly "Tearing the Veil of Maya" comedy show at Union Hall, star of the State, Stella and other stuff - is recording a CD - to be released on JDub records. He'll do it @ Union Hall Thursday July 26th at 7:30pm and 9:30pm. Tickets go on sale today at noon.

Tim Fite is going on tour. Dates below...

Continue reading "UNION HALL's anniversary, MICHAEL SHOWALTER JDub CD recording, TIM FITE Tour Dates, etc"

What's the best comedy show you saw recently?

The next few days offer no shortage of comedy in NYC. Highlights of the week include:

Live at Joe's Pub 6/22/07, ROFL! hosted by Slovin & Allen and Reggie Watts, presented by The Onion and Paper Thin Walls. What is ROFL?

• ROFL is the very best of the internet, lovingly hand-picked by eight of America’s most-respected blogger types for maximum freshness and optimum awesomeness.
• ROFL is high art, low humor, YouTube video, Myspace weirdness, flash animation, web memes, conceptual puzzles, original film and non-sequiturs galore.
• ROFL is a gong show for the new millennium.
• ROFL is twelve bucks to get out of the house and meet people who are even more web-obsessed than you are!

More below....

Continue reading "Klaus Kinski's Comedy Canon (06/20/07)"

Dave Hill, Rufus Wainwright & Dick Cavett @ UCB - Apr 19, 2007

Last night's show was pretty surreal. I knew Dave Hill was having Rufus as a guest, and I kind of knew he was having Dick Cavett - but it didn't really register...."Dick Cavett"...OK, sure, whatever. Then, after performing a death-defying magic trick (aka escaping from a cardboard box), Dave introduced his first guest, and low-and-behold, Dick Fuking Cavett (no pun intended) walks out and proceeds to teach us how to do the moon walk....

"The Dave Hill Explosion" is basically a talk show - Dave Hill is the host (aka the Dick Cavett). Past guests have included Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Moby, Cowboy Randy Jones from The Village people, Martha Plimpton, Fred Armisen, Walter Schreifels, Sandra Bernhard, Joan Wasser, Lecy Goranson, Khrystyne Haje, Joe Franklin, Sam Bisbee, and Dean and Britta (Luna).

Last night Rufus Wainwright was the first guest to come back for a second time. Rufus sang two songs including my favorite from his new (not yet released) album. The song is called "Going to a Town". It was amazing and funny - Rufus sang to a backing track coming out of an iPod - backup singers included. He said he felt like he was on public access TV, and had never done anything like that before. Rufus is also really funny.

Dave played some videos, Dave escaped from the box, there was a "midget" (Little Michael Jackson), Dave talked to Dick, Dick talked to Dave, Dick talked to us, Dick talked, Dick talked, Rufus sang, Rufus sang to Dick, Rufus talked to Dick, Dick talked to Rufus, Dick and Rufus hugged, Dave sometimes got a word in, there was lots of laughing, Dave sang a song to Dick and Rufus, Phil sang backup vocals.... I never wanted the show to end. Eventually it had to - it was already like 2 hours and cutting into the late-late show.

More pics below....

Continue reading "Dave Hill, Rufus Wainwright & Dick Cavett @ UCB, NYC - pics "

Thanks to everyone who came out to the first of three BrooklynVegan day parties at Pianos yesterday (Wednesday November 1, 2006). It was an exhausting, but successful day full of great live music.

THE LITTLE ONES GETTING CREATIVE WITH THE FLYERS

DAVE HILL HIGH ON VITAMIN WATER

WYNN WALENT & DAVID DEPORIS PLAYED UPSTAIRS

(DJ) JACKSON POLLIS GOT DOWN WITH THUNDERBIRDS ARE NOW!

CSS PACKED THE HOUSE

FERRABY LIONHEART WAS THE PERFECT ENDING TO A LONG DAY

...and somehow we ended right on time.

Sucka Pants was there - his CSS pics are here. Extrawack and Eric were there too. Yeti stopped by for lunch - luckily not dressed as his MySpace page. Micah Welner came by to sing one song with Thunderbirds are Now! and help Jackson DJ - he posted what they played.

More pics later. See you Friday.