Soul legend Diana Ross, who we recently caught in Austin, is coming out to perform some shows in August. The appearances for the superstar are mostly coastal, meaning East/West and almost nowhere in between. Look for Diana Ross to take Newark, NJ by storm at NJPAC on August 16, tickets are on sale.

All other tour dates are listed, along with a couple classic videos, below.

Continue reading "Diana Ross touring this summer (dates)"

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)"

Nick Ashford, who along with wife Valerie Simpson helped set the gold standard for R&B duets, both as songwriters and performers, died of throat cancer Monday in a New York hospital. He was 69.

Ashford & Simpson -- you can't think of one without the other -- penned and produced almost all of the '60s hits for Motown's Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, including Ain't No Mountain High Enough, You're All I Need to Get By, Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing and Your Precious Love. They also wrote hits for Chuck Jackson, The Shirelles, Maxine Brown and the Fifth Dimension.
Ray Charles' 1966 No. 1 R&B hit Let's Go Get Stoned was their breakthrough record. They would later write and produce Diana Ross' biggest solo hits, including her signature Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand). They also wrote Chaka Khan's I'm Every Woman, which was later recorded by Whitney Houston. [USA Today]

RIP Ashford!

Continue reading "Nick Ashford of Ashford & Simpson, RIP"

Rodrigo y Gabriela

Rodrigo y Gabriela are probably excited right now. Their first-ever headlining show at NYC's Radio City Music Hall happens tonight (4/29). Tickets are still on sale if you want to go. At some point, Rod and Gab also added a May 1st show in Atlantic City, but that has been cancelled, as has a May 1st show at the Mahalia Jackson Theatre in New Orleans. Don't ask me.

Their tour continues at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton, MA on May 4th, includes a slew of European festival dates this summer, and a return trip to the United States for some more concerts in August (Boston Opera House on August 26th included) (another NYC date TBA announced around then too?).

Not counting "Glee Live In Concert!" (but counting New Kids on the Block who have the same amount of shows coming up there as Vampire Weekend) (three), the full list of currently announced Radio City Music Hall concerts is below...

Continue reading "shows coming up at Radio City Music Hall include Rodrigo y Gabriela tonight (dates) "

DOWNLOAD: Brian Wilson - Heroes and Villains (MP3)

Fleisher, Scorcese, Diana Ross, Brian Wilson, Steve Martin & Bushs

Tickets go on sale this morning for the new Van Halen shows. A second Aretha Franklin show at Radio City goes on sale today too. Natalie Merchant is playing five nights at Hiro Ballroom.

Brian Wilson, Steven Martin, Martin Scorcese & George Bush? Weird, but true. Berkeley Place lists the top 10 political songs of 2007.