Reggie Watts on stage with LCD Soundsystem (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

Reggie Watts is more than halfway through a six night run of shows in Melbourne, Australia, but he'll return in time for "Radio Play" which keeps him busy for the bulk of May. Then this summer Watts will play a pair of Summerstage shows in NYC within days of each other. On June 22nd, look for Reggie at Central Park Summerstage with Natasha Leggero and then on June 24th in Red Hook Park with DJ Stormin' Norman. Both shows are FREE and kick off at 7:30PM and 7:00PM respectively.

In other musical comedy news, Dave Hill's band Diamondsnake plays a late show at Mercury Lounge this Saturday night, 4/23. As you may know, Moby is also a member of the hard rockin' band, but he can't make it that night. Instead, Nash Kato of Urge Overkill will take his place on guitar. TAB the Band open. Tickets are still available.

Reggie Watts recently teamed up with David Cope and Bette Bentley for a pair of digital shorts, both of which are viewable below.

Continue reading "Reggie Watts Summerstage shows + Diamondsnake Saturday"

Ra Ra Riot @ MHOW in 2010 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Speaking of Japan benefits, The Bell House has two special ones scheduled....

Continue reading "Ra Ra Riot, Wyatt Cenac, Tim Harrington, Todd Barry & many, many more playing Japan benefits @ the Bell House "

Mike Birbiglia & Michael Showalter @ Mirman Fest (more by David Andrako)

Mike Birbiglia, you know, the guy from the subway ads that has a book out, celebrates, well, that book, at Caroline's on Tuesday, November 2nd. Tickets are on sale.

Amazingly there are also still tickets left for Birbigs' November 22nd "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend" show at UCB. That's a Monday which is convenient because then you can stick around for Whiplash.

One week earlier, Nick Kroll does the pre-Whiplash show for only $5.00 which is cheaper than the shows he'll be practicing for.

The New York Comedy Festival presents "Louie: A Conversation with Louis C.K.", at the Paley Center this Wednesday, November 3rd. Tickets are on sale.

Louis plays Carnegie Hall one day later which is almost three months before Aziz Ansari plays Carnegie Hall with Eugene Mirman, but only two days before Aziz plays Beacon Theatre.

Who knows who will show up to play later that night, and the night after that, at UCB for two special non-Monday editions of Whiplash, aka "The Best of Whiplash."

Also Wednesday: "The world premiere of Dave Hill's Rock Shop with special guests PAT KIERNAN of NY1, MICHAEL SHOWALTER, and DOUG GILLARD (Guided By Voices/Nada Surf)!" I mean, I don't think you need to know more than that to immediately want to buy a ticket, but just in case:

Dave Hill's Rock Shop is a new comedy "talk" show which will hopefully happen the first Wednesday of each month at Park Slope's newest buzzworthy club, The Rock Shop. The show will run approximately an hour and will feature comedian/guitarist and Ohio native, Dave Hill hosting the shit out it. Dave Hill's Rock Shop will feature interviews with a famous or semi-famous or not so famous person, a famous or semi-famous or not so famous comedian, plus the focus of the show: Dave challenges a famous or semi-famous rock musician to a guitar duel (possibly to the death). The show is being produced by Caroline Creaghead (Tearing The Veil Of Maya / Eugene Mirman's Comedy Festival / The Rope Swing) and Jack McFadden (The Bell House / The Rock Shop booking guru) and is sure to have South Brooklyn peeps peeing in their seats (don't worry, we clean them, sorta).'

Our debut show will be on Wednesday, November 3 at 7:30pm and features Pat Kiernan of NY1, comedian Michael Showalter, and guitar hero Doug Gillard of Nada Surf & Guided By Voices. The show will cost $7 and you'll feel pretty good about getting your 7 dollars worth. There will be no refunds.

Unlike one of the the non-Doug Gillard Guided By Voices shows coming up, The Rock Shop is offering no refunds.

One of Dave Hill's bands, the one with Moby in it, plays Mercury Lounge on December 4th. 21+. No refunds.

PREVIOUSLY: Tim & Eric add a show, Eugene Mirman & Hannibal Buress every Sunday & other comedy stuff too

Mike Birbiglia was on Jimmy Kimmel last week. Video of his segment below...

Continue reading "Louis CK, Mike Birbiglia, Dave Hill, Pat Kiernan & other tickets "

by Klaus Kinski

Nick Kroll

When Rififi shuttered it's doors back in 2008, the part of my brain that required comedy in order for me to live also shuttered itself, though not completely. I did, and still do, continue to see comedy, but for some reason when the Rififi option was off the table, my zeal plummeted to a dangerous low and I psychologically couldn't overcome it. Melodramatic, huh? Yeah. Rififi exposed me to bazillions of comedians who to this day I still regard as favorites, but one favorite who I haven't seen much of since Rififi's closure is Nick Kroll.

Nick is part of a gaggle of comedians, including Jon Daly, Brett Gelman, and John Gemberling, who kill me not so much for their stand-up prowess (though, they don't lack in that department) but more for the insanely funny characters they come up with and perform as on stage and in videos.

Nick's characters include Bobby Bottleservice (1/2 of the Ed Hardy Boyz), a Rich Dick, and Fabrice Fabrice, among others. I cannot remember the last time I saw Nick live, so I was chuffed to see that he is doing two Comedy Central tapings at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on November 18th, early and late. These tapings will amount to a future 1 Hour Nick Kroll comedy special called Thank You Very Cool. I don't know what to expect, but I am hoping it will feature both stand-up and sketch material. Get your tickets! For serious.

In other, closer-to-now-shows-news, did you get your tickets to see Kristen Schaal, Kurt Braunohler, and Reggie Watts at NYU's Skirball Center this evening (10/21)? It carries with it a $25 price tag, but if you've got it spend it! You have to support your local favorites when they hit the larger stages people. Be loyal, not a dicknose. Oh, and you also might be able to get in to this one with your CMJ badge.

OK. Fine. I totally get it. You were a good pup and bought your tickets to tonight's comedy-free BrooklynVegan CMJ showcase happening at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. That was a smart move, and I now see why you didn't buy your tickets to see Ms. Schaal, Mr. Braunohler, and Mr. Watts at Skirball tonight.

So, since you missed the show at Skirball tonight, you should be happy to know that you can still see Reggie Watts for FREE at the BrooklynVegan and Converse FREE Saturday Party that's happening at Public Assembly from 12:00pm - 6:00pm.

Once you've had your fill of beer and other free goodies Saturday, you and your buddies are going to hop in a cab and head over to Union Hall for the Heart of Darkness: A Night of Forgiveness and Salvation CMJ show that features Greg Barris, Reggie Watts (again!), Kurt Braunohler, Dave Hill (who's band Diamondsnake has a show coming up at Mercury Lounge), and Kristen Schaal. There will also be music by The You Are Forgiven Choir featuring Ariel East, Mother of Three and New Beard. Tickets are only $10 and are, inexplicably, STILL AVAILABLE.

So tonight, Tivo Night of Too Many Stars and rock your socks off with BV at the Music Hall. And then on Saturday, see a ton of comedy and music, drink for free, and go to bed happy for a mere $10.

flyers and videos below...

Continue reading "comedy at CMJ, a Nick Kroll taping and MORE!"

by Klaus Kinski

Diamondsnake @ Highline Ballroom in June (more by Gabi Porter)

Comedian and opinionated audiophile John Frusciante (editor's note: NOT the Frusciante from the Chili Peppers) hosts a revolving panel of music-loving comedians, writers and musicians for a live monthly discussion about the state of music past and present, what you should and shouldn't be listening to, and why KISS sucks so much. It is a guarantee that your favorite band will at some point be brought up, dissected, and either praised to the rafters or dismissed with the wave of a hand that knows how to properly handle vinyl.

In the world of befuddling circumstances flying out of nowhere and landing in my lap, being asked to be a panelist alongside Moby (who played the Electric Zoo Festival over Labor Day Weekend), Dave Hill, and Jake Fogelnest (who, like BrooklynVegan, can be heard on SIRIUS XMU) at the UCB Theater in NYC on Saturday, September 11th at Midnight takes the frikkin cake. The event is essentially going to be a round-table discussion about the state of music past, present, and future (see a more detailed show description above). What will I, an ambassador for BV, be bringing to the table?

• a vomit inducing fear of public speaking
• very little knowledge of music past, present, or future
• an eagerness to learn about music past, present, and future
• a dislike for most music that people nowadays think is just wonderful
• a distaste for a few bands I've never even heard before
• a vomit inducing fear of public speaking
• the sweatiest palms you've ever smelled
• an unbridled loathing of your stupid tattoos
• hopefully some articulate points that will make people think, laugh and, hell, maybe even cheer.
• a disdain for most everything, actually

Ironically, I don't think there's even going to be a table there to bring the aforementioned attributes to; rather, we'll be in chairs, un-miced. I'll have nothing to hide behind and will have to do my best Richard Burton to be sure my voice projects. Annnnywhoozle. Having Moby and Dave Hill on the same panel does make quite a bit of sense. You see, Moby and Dave Hill are in a band called Diamondsnake, a band that also features Phil Costello (frontman of now defunct Bee Gees cover band Tragedy and guitar player for the probably defunct Satanicide) and Tomato (Sound of Urchin, Moistboyz)(look closely at the Moistboyz Live Jihad video, recorded at Bowery. A drunken Klaus appears occasionally in the front row with a red hat).

Diamondsnake has 2 NYC SHOWS coming up. The first is on October 2nd at Mercury Lounge, and the following NYC show is at Brooklyn Bowl on November 4th as part of Lebowski Fest.

The UCB show is going to be tons of fun and even though I have a propensity towards negativity, I'm going in with my mind, ears, and guts wide open. Hope you can make it! Cheap beer! RESERVE YOUR SEAT NOW!

photos by Gabi Porter

"Hello there. As many of you know, I can't stop rocking. And now- in addition to fronting my own incredible rock band Valley Lodge and also playing guitar in the incredible Walter Schreifels Band- I have joined forces with my friends Phil Costello (Valley Lodge, Satanicide, Tragedy, "Phil" from the hit television program "The King of Miami"), Tomato (Sound of Urchin, T.H.O.R.), and Moby (Moby) to form Diamondsnake, an unstoppable band that defies categorization, melding elements of rock, hard rock, metal, and heavy metal into something no one has ever heard before ever." [Dave Hill]

Diamondsnake made their live debut at Highline Ballroom in NYC on June 17th. More pictures from the show, and their official video for "Storm the Fucking Kastle" (which sums up their sound pretty quickly), below...

Continue reading "Diamondsnake debuted @ Highline Ballroom (NSFW pics) "

Damien Jurado @ Union Hall in 2008 (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

tonight in NYC
* Pestilence @ Gramercy
* The Lee Boys (late) @ Brooklyn Bowl
* John Legend, The Roots (early) @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Ted Leo (acoustic) @ Generation Records
* Tony Allen (noon) @ BAM MetroTech Commons
* Tift Merritt, Jason Collett @ Hiro Ballroom
* Von Haze, Mirror Mirror, Creep @ Union Pool
* Frontier Ruckus, My Cousin The Emperor, Musikanto @ Southpaw
* New Kids on the Block @ Radio City Music Hall
* Carmen Consoli, Jose Conde @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* The Felix Hernandez Rhythm Review @ Betsy Head Park
* Diamondsnake, Persephone's Bees @ Highline Ballroom
* Villagers, Clare Burson, Thieving Iron @ Union Hall
* Hallelujah, Bebe Fang, Anni Rossi, Little Anchor @ Pianos
* Fixed w/ Pantha Du Prince, Dada Life @ Santos Party House
* Tony Allen, Janka Nabay, Rich Medina @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* Secret Cities, Scary Mansion, Purse Snatchers @ Littlefield
* This Movie Is Broken (Broken Social Scene film) @ 92YTribeca
Eugene Mirman & Pretty Good Friends @ Prospect Park Bandshell
* Jason Anderson, Strand of Oaks, Juniper Tar @ Death By Audio
* Seabrook Power Plant, Mostly Other People Do the Killing @ Zebulon
* Neon Indian, Wild Nothing, Body Language @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Jennifer O'Connor, Amy Bezunartea, Big Stuff @ Knitting Factory Brooklyn
* The London Souls, Wormburner, John Biz, Lorraine Leckie @ Bowery Ballroom
* The Goodnight Loving, Big Troubles, Bright Lights, Fire Season @ Silent Barn
* Miracles of Modern Science, Dinosaur Feathers, Tidal Arms, Ava Luna, Prussia @ Cake Shop
* I Love Monsters, Jangula, Audio Fiction, Apollo Run, Tenements, Viv Savage @ Studio at Webster Hall
* Damien Jurado, Kay Kay and his Weathered Underground, People Eating People, Caleb Engstrom @ Mercury Lounge

Brooklyn duo Von Haze release their self-titled EP, out next week on Hippos in Tanks. They're at Union Pool tonight.

Tony Allen (Fela drummer) has two shows today - a free set at noon at BAM and a night show at (Le) Poisson Rouge with Janka Nabay (who now has Skeletons as his backup band) and DJ Rich Medina.

Ted Leo is filming a video at the Bell House before the in-store at Generation Records.

Check out This Week in Indie.

Stay tuned for the location of Friday's free Band of Horses show.

NXNE is happening in Toronto.

I'm there which means I have to miss Damien Jurado at Mercury Lounge, and the show he plays at Littlefield.

Dave Hill and Moby's new band Diamondsnake play Highline Ballroom tonight. Their video for "Storm The Fucking Kastle" (again) below...

free comedy show in Prospect Park.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

Here We Go Magic @ SXSW 2010 (more by Tim Griffin )

tonight in NYC
* Jeff Beck @ Iridium
* Patty Griffin @ Town Hall
* Nellie McKay @ Feinstein's
* Skeletons Big Band @ Roulette
* Frankie Negron @ Red Hook Park
* Evelyn Evelyn @ Lucile Lortel Theatre
* Fiasco, Okie Dokie, Zulus @ Death By Audio
* Les Claypool, Hot Head Show @ Brooklyn Bowl
* The High Dials, Asteroid #4, The Runaway Suns @ Cake Shop
* The Futureheads, The Like, The Static Jacks @ Bowery Ballroom
* This Will Destroy You, Light Pollution, Slow Six @ Knitting Factory Brooklyn
* Simon & Garfunkel tribue 25th Anniversary SummerStage Gala @ Central Park SummerStage
* Here We Go Magic, The War on Drugs, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Amanda Palmer, Jason Webley and Sxip Shirey's Evelyn Evelyn project, which has drawn a fair amount of controversy on the web, starts a six-night run at Lucile Lortel Theatre. Videos, including a cover of "Love Will Tear Us Apart," are below.

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson has been added as an opener for Here We Go Magic at MHOW tonight. The War on Drugs is also on the bill. We have some free tickets for the show. If you want a pair, email BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: HWGM). Include your first and last name. Winners will be contacted.

The show at Summerstage tonight:

This year's benefit will feature the songbook of Simon & Garfunkel with unique duets performed by Shawn Colvin, Aimee Mann, Dar Williams, Loudon Wainwright III, Lucy Wainwright Roche, Joan Osborne, Stephen Kellogg, Dean & Britta, Cory Chisel, The Holmes Brothers, John Forte, Valerie June, John Roderick, Ricky Skaggs, Willie Nile, Paula Cole, Alejandro Escovedo, Marc Cohn, Ben Gibbard, David Hinds, St. Vincent, Jorma Kaukonen, Larry Campbell, Jill Sobule, Livingston Taylor, Brendan Benson, Gordon Kennedy, Olivia Mori, Ollabelle (house band), and many more.

Very expensive tickets are still on sale.

Dave Hill, Moby and Satanicide/Tragedy Phil have a new band called Diamondsnake. They play Highline Ballroom June 17th. Their new video for "Storm the Fucking Kastle" is below...

Speaking of Dave Hill, he performs his Big in Japan show at UCB on Wednesday.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

by Chris La Putt

On January 28th, Tragedy (the all-metal Bee Gees tribute band), was slated to perform at Maxwell's in Hoboken but was abruptly cancelled. Rumors of band break-up were confirmed when it was announced in March that their last show would take place at the Bowery Ballroom on March 12th. I've never had the Tragedy experience before and thought it best to at least document it. I arrived early to see the Blondest (a Blondie cover band), Les Sans Culottes (a faux French Brooklyn-based band), and the Upper Crust (an aristocratic hard rock band dressed in period wigs and costume). It was bemusing display of outlandishment but all three bands paled in comparison to Tragedy and their resplendent metal debauchery of the Gibb brothers' music.

For the encore, Moby arrives and plays a coruscating melody on a sparkling Gibson Flying V. Tragedy's lead singer strips off his immaculate disco suit and displays to the crowd a one-piece string mankini barely covering his package and butt crack. The band's cover of Donna Summer's Hot Stuff reverberates throughout Bowery. As the barely clothed lead singer moons the crowd, a girl near me lays her hand on his ass cheeks and plays them as if they are some hairy bongo drums.

Tragedy is gone, but its members are still keeping busy. In fact, Tragedy Phil and Moby have formed a new rock band with Dave Hill called Diamondnsake (catch them at Highlline Ballroom on June 17th).

More pictures from the epic Bowery Ballroom show can be seen below:

Continue reading "Tragedy played their final show @ Bowery Ballroom w/ the Upper Crust, Moby & others - belated pics (NSFW)"