In celebration of his induction into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, folk legend Donovan will be playing shows in three major US cities this fall before his TBA world tour in 2013. Those cities include, Washington DC, New York City, and Los Angeles. NYC gets its show on October 19 at The Concert Hall (part of NYSEC and located on 2 West 64 Street). Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Other upcoming shows at The Concert Hall include progressive/folk/classical band Renaissance on October 20, Rickie Lee Jones on November 1, Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore's folk rock group Blackmore's NIght on November 2, Graham Parker & The Rumour on December 1, and more.

A list of all Donovan dates and a classic live video are below.

Continue reading "Donovan playing three US shows this fall (dates)"

Donovan will be in the Northeast US this weekend for Syracuse Jazz Fest, but before he makes his way upstate, he'll stop in NYC for a free performance and autograph signing at J&R's 23 Park Row location at 5 PM.

Donovan, who has been creating great folk, pop, and psychedelia since the mid-'60s, was inducted into the Rock N roll Hall of Fame this year. Here's what he had to say about it:

I suppose that it is a bit like an Academy Award, as one is awarded by one's peers. It is wonderful. Of all the awards that I have received in my career, this one is very, very singular and very, very large. It is quite pleasant, really. It will focus a searchlight on my work.

I love awards just for that reason; this one is huge. When my work is highlighted, then a younger generation will discover my work. When the word "Donovan" is Googled then twenty seven albums will appear for them to discover. This is an extraordinary thing because the young people will be able to discover my music. My mission has always been to continually be of assistance to young people everywhere. My music and my poetry are filled with stuff that they can use. This award has double meaning as it has a very personal feeling attached to it, as well as being a great honor to my work.

There is poetic justice to it all, as well. My work will be reevaluated by a whole new generation and they'll find in it comfort that they can use. Whether they are musicians, students or just young people in general, my work is positive and I am so glad that they will be exposed to it.

In honor of the induction, he released an expanded edition of Essential Donovan, with bonus tracks. He also plans to release his "vast and rediscovered archive" with "many songs [he] forgot [he] wrote or recorded." Stay tuned for more info on that.

A list of all dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "Donovan performing & signing autographs at J&R in NYC before Syracuse Jazz Festival"

Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Bettye Lavette, Ben Harper, Sheryl Crow, Donovan, Eddie Vedder, Moby, Paul Horn, Ringo Starr AND Paul McCartney are playing the previously-mentioned David Lynch Foundation show at Radio City Music Hall on April 4th. Regular tickets go on sale Monday at 11AM, or of you're rich, your tickets are on sale now...

$100,000 Package
Includes: premier front center orchestra row (13 seats) for the concert, 13 reserved seats at the post-concert celebration at the Four Seasons, 4 backstage passes, 4 day-of-show rehearsal passes, 4 tickets for the pre-concert cocktail reception at Radio City, 4 tickets for the Sunday celebratory brunch and acknowledgment in the concert program. (The deductible portion of this package is $93,625.)

The "post-concert celebration" is described like this: "Celebrate with us at the Four Seasons, located just a few blocks away. Live DJ, great food, and a special celebrity auction, featuring signed guitars by Paul McCartney and other legendary performers."

The David Lynch Foundation presents the WORLD HARMONY CONCERT

Paul McCartney, Donovan, Eddie Vedder, Sheryl Crow, Paul Horn, Moby and more will perform a global benefit concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Saturday, April 4, 2009, in support of the David Lynch Foundation's international initiative to teach one million children the Transcendental Meditation technique--and change the world overnight.

Limited seats: A limited number of excellent seats have been reserved for friends of the David Lynch Foundation.

Thx rajohn!

In related news, Pearl Jam are pumped up to hit the studio, and Paul McCartney and Bon Jovi were in the crowd on opening night of the restored Beacon Theater when Garfunkel took the stage with Paul Simon at the first of Paul's two night run in the venue that Leonard Cohen played last night.

Leonard Cohen plays Radio City in May.

Continue reading "Paul McCartney, Donovan, Eddie Vedder, Moby and more playing World Harmony show @ Radio City in April"

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who introduced transcendental meditation to the West and gained fame in the 1960s as the spiritual guru to the Beatles, died Tuesday at his home and headquarters in Vlodrop, the Netherlands. He is believed to have been in his 90s. Steven Yellin, a spokesman for the organization, confirmed the Maharishi's death but did not give a cause....

....The visibility and popularity of the organization can largely be attributed to the Beatles. In 1968, the band, with great publicity, began studying with the Maharishi at his Himalayan retreat, or ashram, in Rishikesh, in northern India. They went with their wives, the folk singer Donovan, the singer Mike Love, of the Beach Boys, the actress Mia Farrow and Ms. Farrow's sister Prudence....

...In the last years of his life he rarely met with anyone, even his ministers, face-to-face, preferring to speak with followers almost exclusively by closed-circuit television.

The Beatles/Maharishi thing was recently spoofed in the movie Walk Hard. Actual video footage below...

Continue reading "Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, RIP"