Doveman at LPR in 2011 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Doveman will continue his Burgundy Stain Sessions at Le Poisson Rouge into 2012 with LPR shows happening on April 13, July 13, October 5, and December 7. No guests have been announced for these shows yet, but as we saw last year, we can count on many interesting musicians to be making appearances at these shows. Tickets for all four dates are on sale now ($20 each or $60 for a four-show pass called "(Le) Billet Rouge")

Meanwhile catch Doveman aka Thomas Bartlet on 2/6 as part of MoMA's Modern Mondays, "a film discussion series at The Roy and Niuta Titus Theater 2."...

An Evening with Tom Kalin and Doveman
February 6, 7:00 p.m.
For this evening, musician Thomas Bartlett (Doveman) (American, b. 1981) and filmmaker Tom Kalin (American, b. 1962) will discuss their collaboration, which began with a series of short films inspired by Doveman's 2009 album The Conformist and continues with an ongoing project that explores the intersection of recorded and live music, digital composition, and projected film. The pair draw inspiration from themes of broken romance, the truth of small gestures, and transcendentalism in addressing such contemporary issues as displacement and urban isolation. Kalin, a prominent figure in the New Queer Cinema movement, is well known as both a feature filmmaker (Swoon [1992] and Savage Grace [2007]) and as an experimental filmmaker (Third Known Nest, 1991-99). He was a founding member of the AIDS activist collective Gran Fury, known for its provocative public art projects. Doveman is a band founded by the 30-year-old Bartlett, who studied piano with Maria Curcio in London before moving to New York City to attend Columbia University. His ongoing live performances, known as The Burgundy Stain Sessions, occur monthly at Manhattan's Le Poisson Rouge. Organized by Barbara London, Associate Curator, Department of Media and Performance Art.

One of Thomas's recently played shows was as part Irish folk-music group The Gloaming at GlobalFEST (at Webster Hall). You can listen to the set at NPR who write:

The Gloaming features indie-pop favorite Thomas Bartlett (a.k.a. Doveman), fiddlers Martin Hayes and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, guitarist Dennis Cahill and singer Iarla Ó Lionaird, whose vocals electrified the collection of pieces by fellow Irishman Donnacha Dennehy which became one of NPR Music's favorite albums of 2011. Bartlett's moody musings at the piano provided a dark undercurrent to Celtic reels and jigs.

All future Doveman dates (that we know about right now) are listed below...

Continue reading "Doveman extends LPR residency, speaking at MoMA & stuff"

photos by David Andrako

National week at Beacon Theater continued on Friday night, 12/16, for the fifth night in a row. Shara Worden's project My Brightest Diamond opened the show and she later joined The National on stage as did Thomas Bartlett aka Doveman, Richard Reed Parry of the Arcade Fire, Conrad Doucette, Rob Moose, Nadia Sirota and string quartet yMusic... and Phish's Trey Anastasio who members of the National are working with right now. As Jambands.com points out:

"The Phish guitarist emerged partway through the group's set for "Blood Buzz Ohio," "Squalor Victoria" and "Murder Me Rachel." While onstage, the members of The National described the guitarist as "a hero of ours." Anastasio reemerged alongside Arcade Fire multi-instrumentalist Richard Reed Parry the evening's opening act My Brightest Diamond to play guitar on "Terrible Love." All of the night's guests then joined the members of The National for an acoustic sing-along based around "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks." National frontman Matt Berninger was particularly chatty throughout the show, jokingly describing Parry as a member of Kings of Leon and declaring "that's the sound of faces melting" after Anastasio's performance."

More about Night One HERE. Night Two HERE. Night Three HERE. Night Four HERE. More pictures and the setlist from Night Five (though none of the opening set unfortunately) below....

Continue reading "Trey Anastasio & others joined The National on Night 5 @ Beacon Theater (pics & setlist)"

words by Christopher Paragraph, photos by Veronica Luis

Thomas Bartlett's "Burgundy Stain Sessions" has carved out its own unique place in the NYC music scene, bringing tasteful, acclaimed songwriters together with some of the most skilled players in the city. The songwriters in the Burgundy spotlight have ranged from Beth Orton to St. Vincent to Rufus Wainwright to Glen Hansard. This night, however (last night, December 1st), seemed to be a new direction for Bartlett's ensemble, hosting Loudon Wainwright. Loudon rarely collaborates with other musicians and mostly performs solo, so the show was anticipated with cautious excitement and curiosity.

The night started out with the band quietly taking the stage, slowly melding into the opening song with a bit of a wink: Bartlett's "Drinking," which was navigated well by the group. Hannah Cohen joined as a guest vocalist on Bartlett's next song "Boy + Angel," foreshadowing her forthcoming set. Bartlett has mastered the art of making a wandering piano sound precise, and avoids musical clichés without abandoning them. He can wear many different hats on stage equally well, whether taking the reigns as lead singer or smattering notes carefully behind another.

The first guest of the night was Oren Bloedow. Bloedow is the instrumental half of Elysian Fields, but this performance focused on his abilities as a songwriter. He revealed a keen sense of well-crafted pop, in the Joe Jackson / Elvis Costello vein. But his lyrics showed a more complex sensibility, giving equal attention to the meaning and syntax of the phrasing and the actual phonetic sounds of the words themselves. This poetic nature of his songs proved to be the way in which they succeed and separate themselves from the pack. The band (which will be detailed later) provided a well-suited backdrop, displaying Bartlett's skill as the artistic equivalent of a live music A&R man.

Next up was Hannah Cohen, who just finished her debut record (with Bartlett). She played a few smooth, dreamy numbers from the forthcoming album before changing pace with a samba-ish cover of 10cc's "I'm Not In Love." Cohen shows a gift for carefully placing melodies rather than pouring out her soul. The songs are tastefully restrained, even when showing off a vocal run, ghostly and delicate. She seems a perfect candidate to work with Bartlett. Cohen sounded at her best when the arrangement was stripped down, allowing the songs to loosen and bend. It will be interesting to see where she goes as an artist in 2012 and how her debut record sounds. A video preview both morose and sexy can be seen HERE.

Before the anticipated Wainwright set, Justin Vivian Bond was invited up to perform an odd epic heartbreak ballad that challenged concepts from self-identity to deism. This seems to be a trend in how Bond builds a song, as the night's encore echoed the same conceptual structure, a "patriotic" story song that implied thoughts on sex, politics, and natural selection.

Wainwright took the stage, laughing at the fact that he was "back on Bleeker Street." (Wainwright started out here in 1968.) His set began in a rather unexpected manner, a duet with Bartlett on Frank Loesser's "More I Cannot Wish You," from Guys & Dolls. From there, however, Wainwright launched into a few of his old classics, backed seamlessly by the house band (a phrase which seems to instantly undermine their talent). First was "White Winos," a devastating song about alcoholism and his relationship with his mother, which transitioned nicely into "Dreaming," based on a quote of his mother's, "I'd rather be dreaming than living." Wainwright is the quintessential songwriter whose music is morbid under the microscope yet cheerful under a casual glance. The songs are masked in bright melodies and performed with nonchalance, but closer inspection will almost always present the listener with a sharp dissection of the human psyche. Wainwright then played "Motel Blues," (a personal favorite) and a roaring rendition of "Muse Blues" which was most "rocking" moment of the night.

The final encore brought everyone up on stage (including returning guest Norah Jones) to collaborate on an interestingly wobbly re-working of Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart," in keeping with the dreamy, melancholic theme of the night.

The band provided a thoughtful, dynamic backdrop for Wainwright (and all the evening's performers). Rob Moose's guitar was particularly great, at times supplying a bed of precise fingerpicking, other times creating a subtle dissonant distortion, reminiscent of his recent work with the Grammy-nominated Bon Iver. The rest of the band (Doug Wieselman on clarinet, Ray Rizzo on drums, Brad Albetta on bass) were just about all one could ever ask for in a backing band. They are well versed and experienced with the careful tactics of songwriter-accompaniment.

Bartlett revealed that this would be the last Burgundy Stain Session of 2011 but that they will be back in action early next year. They have created something that supports the musical community and promotes collaboration and songwriting. Here's hoping they continue to grow in 2012.

----

Catch Thomas, Doug and Loudon together again at Town Hall on December 15th.

by Christopher Paragraph

Martha Wainwright @ City Winery - 11/21/2011 (photo by IreneSenra)

Nath-Ann Carrera started the night off with a handful of songs that inhabited a unique place between standard country western ballads and bizarre gay-themed narratives. It was clear from his opening monologue that this was a performer who was about more than just the music (he stepped out, barefoot, in a short white gown and brown headdress.) Carrera performed songs by Hank Williams and Townes Van Zandt, but was at his best when spinning original yarns that were as sharp and strange as his on-stage persona. (One involved a lesbian kidnapping Frank Sinatra, skinning him alive on a meat hook, and using it to make handbags to sell to hippie boutiques.)

Martha Wainwright, who was playing her 2nd November City Winery show, came out in a short dress of her own - perhaps inspired by Nath-Ann, and perhaps unaware of how close the front row was to the stage. She joked with the gentlemen in the front about how they were getting a special show thanks to her "genetic leg kick." (Martha, like her father Loudon, tends to jerk her left leg up while playing...) Wainwright performed songs from her two studio albums as well as a handful of new songs slated for her upcoming yet-to-be-completed record. Wainwright has come a long way since her original role as the perennial family back-up singer. Her two records have received critical acclaim worldwide, and she has created a second career for herself interpreting the music of Edith Piaf. It seems Piaf's music is where Wainwright has found her true inspiration as a singer, as her songs are filled with the same emphatic, dynamic emotion. Wainwright's ability as a vocalist shined as she showed a control over her voice that held the crowd entranced. Her banter between songs also showed off a brash sense of humor and comfort, providing comic relief between some pretty intense moments. The height of which was her performance of her late mother's classic "Talk To Me Of Mendocino," which walked the line between devastating emotion and soaring melody.

The second half of the set, which also included a guest appearance by Justin Vivian Bond for one song, employed the work of Thomas Bartlett (a.k.a. Doveman) on piano, who proved to be the perfect accompanist, aptly complementing Wainwright's musical tendencies with subtle, effective flair. Wainwright has developed a unique musical identity in her now-trademark style of shaking a melody out like loosening a cramp, singing over conventional yet somehow unexpected suspensions, and writing lyrics that are both personal and enigmatic. She is far more talented than her recognition might indicate (at least in the US). She possesses both precision and soul, and the ability and awareness to tastefully present it on stage. At the end of the night the crowd demanded Wainwright's return, which she granted, performing "Tell My Sister," another classic song of her mother's, and closing the night with a new original number that left the audience even more curious about what Wainwright has in store for her next record.

On December 15, the Wainwright/McGarrigle posse will join forces with Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, and many more to present "A Not So Silent Christmas" at Town Hall. All proceeds will benefit the Kate McGarrigle Sarcoma Research Fund. Flyer below.

Wainwright fanatics who can't wait that long can also see Loudon perform at Bartlett's "Burgundy Stain Sessions" on December 1 at Le Poisson Rouge.

Continue reading "Martha Wainwright played City Winery (with Thomas Bartlett), Loudon playing LPR (with Thomas too)"

Justin Bond & Thomas Bartlett (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

As you may have noticed in What's Going on Sunday, both Allen Toussaint and Justin Vivian Bond played shows at Joe's Pub on Sunday.

Allen's show, entitled "A Southern Night", is part of "the Joe's Pub New York Voices series" and happens again three times this week. All three are still on sale (11/21, 11/22 & 11/23). The singer, pianist, songwriter, arranger and producer "will feature songs from the album as well as songs that relate to the Toussaint Family." His full list of dates is below.

Performance artist, comedian and singer Justin Bond is also playing more shows, and all with Thomas Bartlett on piano. Tickets are still available for November 27 and December 04.

Thomas Bartlett, aka Doveman, also has his own show coming up, another Burgundy Stain Session. No guests are announced yet but tickets for the December 1st show are on sale. (UPDATE: Loudon Wainwright & Hannah Cohen have been added to the December 1st show)

P.S. Happy 10th anniversary Brassland Records (who are giving away a song a day all this month including ones by Doveman)

P.S.S. Frequent Doveman collaborator Martha Wainwright is also in the midst of a residency that continues Monday night (11/21) at City Winery. Tickets are still on sale.

Continue reading "Allen Toussaint, Justin Vivian Bond & Doveman shows"

Sharon at LPR in October (more by Toby Tenenbaum)

As mentioned, Sharon Van Etten signed to Jagaguwar and will release her next album with them in early 2012, which Aaron Dessner (of The National) is producing. A release date still hasn't been set for the album, but we now know that it's called Tramp and will feature contributions from Matt Barrick (of The Walkmen), Doveman, Zach Condon, Jenn Wasner (of Wye Oak), and Julianna Barwick.

After Sharon opens for The National at Beacon Theatre (12/13) (tickets), she'll go on a tour in support of her new album with one of her favorite bands Shearwater. That tour hasn't been announced in full yet (update: now it has), but it hits NYC on February 24 at Music Hall of Williamsburg and February 25 at Bowery Ballroom, and also includes two Chicago shows. Tickets for the MHOW show, and the Bowery Show, go on sale Friday (11/11) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (11/9) at noon.

Shearwater also have a new home (Sub Pop), and they'll be releasing their next album on the label in early 2012. They released some live recordings and experimental pieces on their bandcamp back in April in honor of the signing.

All dates below...

Continue reading "Sharon Van Etten planning tour w/ Shearwater (who are now on Sub Pop) -- some dates announced"

photos by Toby Tenenbaum, words by Rachel Kowal

Glen Hansard, Sharon Van Etten, a Dessner



Other Voices, an annual musical festival held in Dingle, Ireland, may not be nearly as old as the town's pubs, but it has already become a rich, meaningful tradition since its inception in 2002. Though typically held in a tiny church, Other Voices jumped across the Atlantic and landed in Le Poisson Rouge for a couple of nights this week with the help of Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman), Glen Hansard, and others--and it's all for a good cause! (All proceeds of the shows go to benefit Fighting Words, a writing center for children and youth in Dingle.)

"We don't know where we're going, we don't know where we'll be when we get there, and when we get back we probably won't know where we've been, so join us on this journey this evening," said Irish actor/writer Gabriel Byrne effectively introducing the event's pleasantly discursive nature. What unfolded over the course of the next three-and-a-half hours was a hearty round of poetry, prose, and music, much in the spirit of Doveman's monthly series, the Burgundy Stain Sessions.

Artist after artist shuffled onto the stage. Highlights included Glen Hansard's beautiful stories and songs, a newer piece by Thomas Bartlett (appropriately about the rain), a song or two from the talented folk singer Sam Amidon, a beautiful brand new piece written just yesterday by Bryce and Aaron Dessner that was inspired by the streets of Dingle, a couple of traditional songs by renowned Irish fiddler Martin Hayes, Joseph O'Connor's reading of an ode that creatively highlighted many of New York's music legends, and a surprise performance by Sharon Van Etten (and her sister Heather). The guests just kept coming. Bell X1 (who played a Smiths cover), Martha Wainwright, Jape, The Lost Brothers, Justin Vivian Bond, Nico Muhly; and from the Irish literary scene: Philip King, Roddy Doyle, Colum McCann, and Paul Muldoon. An unrecognizably shaggy Damien Rice even made a surprise appearance to play a couple of beautiful, completely unplugged and unaccompanied songs on his acoustic guitar.

The camaraderie in the air was thick. Though each artist had a chance to be in the spotlight, its loose structure allowed for one-of-a-kind impromptu collaborations. After a week of running around to catch ridiculously brief sets, often with compromised sound, it was a nice change to remain still and embrace a long, calming set as talent after talent humbly took to the stage. If you go tonight, just make sure to wear comfy shoes or arrive early to snag one of the few seats.

More pictures from the night below...

Continue reading "Other Voices (Glen Hansard, Sam Amidon, Doveman, Bryce & Aaron Dessner, Sharon Van Etten & other surprise guests) @ Le Poisson Rouge -- night 1 pics & review"

Glen Hansard & Doveman @ Le Poisson Rouge (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Doveman's next edition of 'Burgundy Stain Sessions' at Le Poisson Rouge is this Friday night (9/23), and the listed special guests are: Chris Thile, Martha Wainwright, Trixie Whitley and Little Annie. Tickets for the collaborative evening of music are still on sale.

In October, on the 27th & 28th to be exact, 'Burgundy Stain Sessions' kick it up a notch with Other Voices NYC: A Celebration of Music & Literature. Scheduled to appear over the course of two nights at Le Poisson Rouge are: Glen Hansard (The Swell Season), Bryce & Aaron Dessner (The National), Doveman, Laurie Anderson, Sam Amidon, Bell X1, Iarla Ó Lionáird, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, Martin Hayes, Joseph O'Connor, and Colum McCann. Prestented in conjunction with Imagine Ireland with all proceeds going to FIGHTING WORDS Creative Writing Centre, tickets are on sale.

Speaking of the Swell Season, its other half Marketa Irglova has a tour coming up in November with a NYC show of her own. Bowery Ballroom tickets are still on sale.

The National have six huge NYC shows coming up.

Martha has one big holiday show coming up with her brother Rufus, and one with Rufus even sooner as part of the The Fourth Annual Plant & Sing Festival in Shelter Island, NY.

Rufus's opera 'Prima Donna' happens at BAM in Feb. 2012. Tickets are on sale now.

Doveman at at LPR in April (more by Vincent Cornelli)

As mentioned, Doveman has three more upcoming salon shows at West Village venue Le Poisson Rouge. His next one is this Friday (7/29) with special guests Nico Muhly performing as Peter Pears, Julia Stone (of Angus & Julia), who will be premiering material off of her new solo album, and Dawn Landes' group The Bandana Splits.

As mentioned in What's Going On Wednesday, we're running a contest on facebook to win tickets to Friday's show. We're also giving away three more pairs of tickets which you can enter to win via email. Details on how to win a pair below. Details on how to buy a pair, HERE.

Thomas (Doveman) just returned to America from playing in London with (past LPR show guests) Justin Bond and Rufus Wainwright. After Friday's LPR show, he'll play Newport Folk Festival with Tegan and Sara (Sara was also a past LPR show guest).

Doveman's next two LPR shows are happening on September 23 with Chris Thile and October 28 with Laurie Anderson. More guests to be announced. Tickets are on sale for all three.

Contest details below...

Continue reading "Doveman announces more upcoming show guests (win tix)"

words by Rachel Kowal, photos by Lionel Bergeron

Lisa Hannigan @ Rockwood Music Hall

Though penciled into the calendar at Le Poisson Rouge well in advance, Doveman's monthly salons (aka Burgundy Stain Sessions) are typically characterized by spontaneity and surprises. The cast of musicians is constantly shifting as new people are introduced and former collaborators quietly fall off the roster. Traditionally, little about the shows is scripted - at least until the latest session.

For perhaps the first time since the shows began in January, a set list lay on the floor of the stage on June 24th. Of course that doesn't mean it was strictly followed.

Thomas Bartlett (or Doveman) kicked off the show solo with a Randy Newman cover ("Real Emotional Girl"), but it wasn't long before special guest Lisa Hannigan joined in on vocals and guitar. Having collaborated with each other early last year, Hannigan and Bartlett complimented each other nicely. Hannigan may have entered into public consciousness through her part in Damien Rice's 2002 album, O, but she's clearly got enough talent and charm to do more than just the occasional backing vocals, as she demonstrated in her debut solo release in 2008.

As Hannigan's segment wound to a close, other guests started popping up to contribute everything from brand new songs to classic covers (like John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads"). Hannah Cohen (who is apparently working on an album with Bartlett), Dawn Landes, Mike Doughty (who was Bartlett's first tour-mate), Glen Hansard (named the "MVP" by Bartlett), Justin Bond, and backing band Ray Rizzo, Rob Moose, and Josh Kaufmann all made appearances before the evening was up.

As for next month's show, who knows who Bartlett will pull out of his hat. Tickets are on sale for July 29th, September 23rd and October 28th. No guests are announced on any of them yet.

The Doveman show was one of a few in NYC that week for Lisa Hannigan who also played two sold out shows at Rockwood Music Hall where she performed with a full band including John Smith who also opened with a short set of his own music. Lisa's set consisted of a number of new songs from "Passenger", as well as songs from her first album "Sea Sew". They finished with a cover of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus". Pictures from the first Rockwood show are in this post and they continue below...

Continue reading "Lisa Hannigan played w/ Doveman, Rockwood Music Hall (pics)"

Beirut, Sharon Van Etten, and Yellow Ostrich play a sold out (except to badges) Northside Festival show in McCarren Park tonight. The Books, Junip, and Doveman play a free show in Prospect Park. Both shows are rain or shine, though lightning could change that. Hopefully it doesn't rain too hard, or at all. 50% is still only 50%!

Best Coast and The Decemberists played Prospect Park in the rain earlier in the week, and that wasn't too bad.

Doveman, who often plays with both Justin Bond and Martha Wainwright, has four more upcoming salon shows scheduled at Le Poisson Rouge. Last month (after he was joined by Rufus Wainwright and Sean Lennon at the West Village venue) we mentioned that he plays the venue again on June 24. Since then, Lisa Hannigan has been added as an announced guest. Tickets are still on sale. Doveman also plays on July 29 (tickets), September 23 (tickets), and October 28 (tickets), though no guests have been announced for the new shows yet. You can also catch Doveman at a free show at Prospect Park with Junip and The Books on June 17.

Lisa Hannigan is currently on her own tour right now in her home country of Ireland. The LPR show with Doveman is one of a few she'll play in North America later this month around her appearance at Atlantic City's Dave Matthews Band Caravan Fest (not to be confused with the same scary fest that is hitting Governors Island later in the summer with a different lineup). Right before LPR, she plays NYC-area shows at Rockwood Music Hall on June 21 and 22 and Maxwell's on June 23. All three sold out quickly, so hopfully she comes back soon. She also hits Boston on the trip.

Lisa, who first came to fame via playing with Damien Rice, released her debut, Mercury Prize-nominated record Sea Sew in 2008. She's releasing the followup this fall on Dave's ATO Records (who this week released the new record by Dawes). Lisa's new LP is called Passenger, and was "recorded over a week at Brynderwyn Studios in North Wales by Grammy-winning producer Joe Henry (Solomon Burke, Allen Toussaint, Ramblin Jack Elliot) and engineer Ryan Freeland (Ray LaMontagne)."

Check out Lisa's 2009 Daytrotter session HERE. Check out a video of Lisa Hannigan covering Joni Mitchell's "Willy" along with more dates below...

Continue reading "Lisa Hannigan announced new LP, playing sold out shows, but tix still on sale for one with Doveman (who added dates too)"

by Rachel Kowal

Rufus Wainwright & Doveman @ LPR (photo by Nicole Gitau)

After missing the last two Burgundy Stain Sessions, I was glad to be back for the fifth installment of Doveman's salon-style shows at Le Poisson Rouge. Between the rotating cast of musicians and the experimental, anything-goes attitude, you never quite know what you'll get over the course of the evening.

Though multiple artists are on the bill, the layout is rather unconventional. Instead of a series of individual performances, all of the artists collaborate and contribute to one long set. It's not seamless, but that's kind of the point. "My goal is for things to be kind of gloriously sloppy here," the host, Thomas Bartlett admitted at one point.

Bartlett (aka Doveman), kicked off the evening with a soft, melodic song on the piano, but it wasn't long before he was joined by a trumpeter and clarinetist who deftly made their way through the crowd and onto the stage, playing all the way. After a few Doveman songs, The GOASTT, aka Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl (of Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger) jumped up from their perch on the side of the stage. Easily one of my favorite parts of the evening, the GOASTT portion ranged widely in emotion and style. One minute it was French spoken word (Lennon) peppered with onomatopoeia interjections (Muhl) and the next featured smooth accordion-rich melodies.

After a few more from Doveman, there was a one-song interlude to "give the band a break" and Barlett welcomed his friend Nathan to the stage to deliver his wildly entertaining "lesbian separatist murder ballad" about the Manson family. Though it sounds odd, it's really the frenetic pacing that keeps things interesting and keep me returning month after month.

As promised, Rufus Wainwright joined in after the break, to wild applause from the audience. Fresh from their Kate McGarrigle tribute at Town Hall, Bartlett and Wainwright (McGarrigle's son) played a few touching covers in addition to one from Wainwright's own discography, "April Fools."

At some point, Muhl and Lennon returned for the grand finale, which, after much buildup and back story turned out to be a cover of "Across the Universe" (with Lennon on backing vox). Apparently, it was the first time Wainwright and Lennon played the song since their collaboration nearly a decade ago for the post-9/11 peace show organized by Yoko Ono. Of course after the Beatles cover, which sent chills down my spine, the encore (the Neil Young cover song "Only Love Can Break Your Heart") was just icing on the cake.

I can only wonder what next month's show will bring.

--

No guests have been announced, but tickets are on sale for the June 24th show at LPR. Doveman also plays a free show in Prospect Park with Junip and the Books five days earlier. Rufus has some stuff coming up too.

Rufus Wainwright @ Prospect Park (more by David Andrako)

Despite the addition of Rufus Wainwright to the bill, and stellar past shows, tickets are amazingly still on sale for Doveman's show at LPR tonight (5/26). The Goastt, aka Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl, were recently added to the show too. There's always surprise guests (like Justin Bond) and an all-star backing band too.

Rufus was also just added to another show too, one that also still has tickets on sale, and one that now boasts an extremely impressive lineup of gay icons. Rufus Wainwright, Justin Bond AND Liza Minelli (!) were all added as special guests to the Sandra Bernhard show happening June 8 at Town Hall. The date will be the world premiere of Sandra's new show "I LOVE BEING ME, DON'T YOU?" The poster confirming this info is below.

Speaking of Rufus (and Justin) at Town Hall, he and Martha just played the venue two nights in a row in honor of their mother with Justin Bond, Norah Jones, Antony Hegarty, Emmylou Harris, Teddy Thompson, Jimmy Fallon, and others. Rolling Stone was there the first night:

Although the three-hour concert was billed as "A Celebration of Kate McGarrigle," the prevailing mood was naturally somber. McGarrigle wrote and sang heartrendingly personal songs throughout most of her life; hearing them now that she's gone was emotional, to say the least. Performers and audience members alike could be seen tearing up during highlights like "I Eat Dinner (When The Hunger's Gone)" (a sweet duet between Harris and Thompson), "Go Leave" (a deeply felt rendition by Hegarty), "(Talk to Me Of) Mendocino" (sung by both Wainwright siblings with Jones), "Tell My Sister" (a wonderfully torchy performance by Martha Wainwright) and most of all "Proserpina" - the last song Kate McGarrigle wrote before her death, a sad, lovely, honest tune that brought nearly everyone back on stage to close the night's first set.

Continue reading "Rufus Wainwright (and Liza Minelli!) will join Sandra Bernhard @ Town Hall (where he recently played 2 nights for Kate)"

The National show in Prospect Park (more by Amanda Hatfield)

We already knew that 'Celebrate Brooklyn' is hosting an impressive lineup of ticketed Prospect Park Bandshell shows this summer: The Decemberists, Animal Collective, Sufjan Stevens, Bon Iver & Cut Copy. And we knew that the 33rd annual series of free shows would start with an Andrew Bird show on June 10th, and that BRIC is also hosting three free 'dance parties' in Brooklyn Bridge Park this summer too.

Now the entire 2011 lineup of "24 free performances, including 20 music concerts, two dance performances, two film screenings with live music, and a family concert" is here! You can check it all out (The Feelies, Real Estate, The Books, Junip, Doveman, Justin Townes Earle, Punch Brothers, Raekwon, Oumou Sangaré, Times New Viking, Ra Ra Riot, Delicate Steve, Buke & Gass and Hal Willner included), below...

Continue reading "Celebrate Brooklyn - complete 2011 Prospect Park show lineup"

Doveman (more by Vincent Cornelli)

Rufus Wainwright has been added as a confirmed guest at the next Doveman 'Burgundy Stain Session' at Le Poisson Rouge. Tickets are still on sale.

Martha played the last one.

Rufus also has a free show coming up at the World Financial Center.

Rufus & Martha will both be performing in honor of their mother next week at the 90-year old Town Hall. The birthday party was last night...

Jazz guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli surprised and wowed guests when his son John joined him on stage. The two were a joy to watch as they showed family love as well as an abundance of craft. Surprise guest, Norm Lewis, in from London's "Les Miz," and in town for rehearsals to an up-dated "Porgy and Bess," sang "I'd Rather Be Sailing," "Make Them Hear You" and "Bring Him Home." Jeffry Denman and Noah Racey showed why they are two of the best dancers on Broadway. The one and only Liz Callaway made "Hey You in the Back Row" come alive with her musical director Alex Rybeck, then forgetting the lyrics to "Another Hundred People" (not really), broke into the best parody of Sondheim I have ever heard. She ended her set with a song from the act she and her sister Ann Hampton Callaway are performing at Birdland this week. Tovah closed the show making 90 years of politically informative, musically innovative and electrifying cultural history begin its 91st year with a bang."

Continue reading "Rufus Wainwright added to Doveman show, Town Hall turned 90, Esperanza Spalding playing there, but first w/ Prince"

photos by Vincent Cornelli

Doveman played another guest-filled show at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC on Saturday night. The backing band was comprised of Brad Albetta (bass), Ben Perowsky (drums), Rob Moose (guitar, violin), and Doug Wieselman (clarinet, bass clarinet). Thomas Bartlett was joined by guests Martha wainwright, Justin Bond, Hannah Cohen (whose record Thomas is producing), Jennifer Charles of Elysian fields, Norah Jones (as advertised), Sara Quin (of Tegan and Sara), Nico Muhly, and Frames/Swell Season singer Glen Hansard. Pictures from the party are in this post.

No guests have been announced for Doveman's next shows yet, but this pats show's lineup has been the norm (read about past shows HERE and HERE), so get your tickets in advance if you want to go on May 26th or June 24th.

Meanwhile, Thomas/Doveman and Doug Wieselman will be two of the special guests at Jesse Harris's final residency show at the same venue this Tuesday night (4/26), as will the recently-added Kaki King. Tickets are still on sale.

Jesse, Doug and Martha Wainwright all share a bill, along with Elvis Perkins, at Cameo this Friday as part of the next edition of Noncerts which is still on sale.

You can also catch Martha on May 12 and 13 at the two shows honoring her late mother at Town Hall.

More pictures from Saturday's LPR show, below....

Continue reading "Doveman played another guest-filled show (pics), Martha Wainwright plays w/ Elvis Perkins & Jesse Harris Friday"

Nicole Atkins during SXSW 2011 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

If you like Bob Dylan and booze-soaked singalongs, you might want to consider hitting Bowery Ballroom on May 26th and 27th for Dylan Fest, a two day extravaganza in celebration of the 70th birthday of musical deity. Much like the one-night fest last year (and at the similar Petty Fest), both nights boast familiar names like Norah Jones, Adam Green, Will Forte and Jason Sudeikis of SNL, Jesse Malin (who has other shows coming up), Nikolai Fraiture of the Strokes, as well as members of Little Joy, The Hold Steady, Fountains of Wayne, Mooney Suzuki, The Lemonheads, and many more, with Nicole Atkins on board for the first night (5/26). Tickets are on sale for both the 5/26 and the 5/27 shows at noon today. The full linuep is below.

Nicole Atkins and her band The Black Sea have also added a headlining show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on July 8th. Tickets go on sale Friday April 29th at noon. The show is one of a few scattered dates scheduled for Atkins in the coming months. Check out her whole schedule below.

In related news, Norah Jones has been announced as the special guest for Saturday's previously discussed Doveman show at Le Poisson Rouge. Tickets are still available. The show is one of three more scheduled for Doveman at LPR, with other appearances occurring on May 26th and June 24th. Details on guests for those shows are still forthcoming.

In also related news, Nicolai Fraiture's day job, The Strokes, have announced that they will appear at the sold out T In The Park festival in Scotland in July along with Pulp, Coldplay, Slash, and Foo Fighters. The band also recently appeared on Conan O'Brien (on 4/20). Check out a video of their performance of "Games" alongside a Nicole Atkins video of "Cry Cry Cry" from SXSW and all tour dates and stuff, below.

Continue reading "Dylan Fest returns , Nicole Atkins adds shows, Norah Jones adds appearances, The Strokes played Conan (video & dates)"

Justin Bond & Doveman @ LPR (more by Dominick Matrangelo)

"It looks like another one of the city's shadowy artistic demoiselles is about to take a turn in the limelight. If anyone is the talk of New York City at the moment it is Justin Bond. A tall, blond, transgender cabaret signer, Bond worked his way up through the San Francisco and New York performance undergrounds as part of a duo lounge act called Kiki and Herb. The act, which centered around Bond's character Kiki, an aging, bitter, alcoholic singer who was as poignant, raucous and funny as she was tragic, developed a cult and critical following which led them to Carnegie Hall and a stint on Broadway, earning Bond a Tony nomination. Now he has a much-awaited debut album [out now], and he'll be performing his new solo show at the Bowery Ballroom to celebrate." [Another]

Support at Bowery will come from album contributor Doveman, who has another THREE 'salon' dates coming at Le Poisson Rouge as part of the ongoing Burgundy Stain Sessions that saw him teaming with names like Sam Amidon, Glen Hansard, Norah Jones, Tegan & Sara, St Vincent, Justin Bond, and others in previous sessions. No word on the guests at these shows yet, but tickets are available for shows on April 23rd, May 26th and June 24th.

Doveman will also be at LPR on April 26th, but as one of the "friends" listed for one of the nights of the Jesse Harris & Friends: "Through the Night" Series at the venue. On that night, the "Through The Night Band, a four-piece ensemble combining rock/brazilian/folk/jazz" will play the songs of Jesse Harris alongside Bill Dobrow, Guilherme Monteiro, Mauro Refosco, and Sasha Dobson. Tickets are on sale. The "Through The Night" series continues weekly in April, and includes a show TONIGHT with The Cosmo Band featuring Larry Goldings, Anthony Wilson, Tony Scherr, and others (tickets). Other upcoming dates include April 12 with The Through The Night Band featuring Bill Dobrow and special guests Norah Jones (his Grammy friend) and Vinicius Cantuária among others; and April 19th with The Cosmo Band featuring Kenny Wollesen, Eivind Opsvik, and special guests Tony Scherr and Antonio Villeroy among others.

Some videos and stuff below...

Continue reading "Doveman adds more shows at LPR (where Jesse Harris also has a guest-filled residency), plays w/ Justin Bond tonight"

The great UK 'experimental folk' artist David Thomas Broughton has announced "Outbreeding", a new album of slightly older songs that will be released by London label Brainlove Records on May 23rd. Listen to "Ain't Got No Sole" via its video below.

Meanwhile, DTB makes a trip to the U.S. for shows in NYC, Austin and LA that kick off TONIGHT/Monday (3/14) at Sycamore in Brooklyn with Oh Ruin and Alex Highton. He then plays Rockwood Music Hall on Tuesday with the same lineup. Wednesday he partakes in Doveman's next Burgundy Stain Session at LPR before heading to Austin where he plays four shows before doing one more in LA. All dates and that video below...

Continue reading "David Thomas Broughton announces new album, in NYC now before heading to SXSW (2011 dates & new video)"

photos by David Andrako, words by Rachel Kowal

When you hear the word 'ecstatic,' chances are classical music isn't exactly the first thing that comes to mind. Even Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman), one of last night's featured musicians, admitted that his music was "kind of quiet" and snoozy." But a cursory glance at Nadia Sirota's frenzied delivery on the viola, and the classicaly-bent Ecstatic Music Festival's choice adjective doesn't seem like such a misnomer.

The evening was arranged in three parts, one for each of the featured musicians. Of course, the performances were also highly collaborative and often called for all five performers (including violinist Rob Moose and cellist Clarice Jensen) to be on stage. "We're all friends and drinking companions," Bartlett revealed.

As evidenced by the the recent stringof Burgundy Stain Sessions at Le Poisson Rouge, Bartlett is no stranger to performing with a wide range of talented musicians, but after nearly a month of touring solo in Australia, he averred that extra musicians were a welcome addition. "I think I'm hallucinating the quartet," joked the jet-lagged pianist early into the show. Bartlett and company played a selection of Doveman's melodious songs, including a brand new one about lost love that he wrote during his recent trip abroad.

Following Bartlett's portion, Nadia Sirota moved to the center of the stage, her viola tucked safely under her arm. With its measured, gentle introduction, her first piece, 'Drums and Viola' provided a smooth transition from Bartlett's music into her more frenetic contributions. But with each passing movement of the song, the tension rose. To keep up with the heightened pace, Sirota inhaled sharply every few beats, which made her performance even more physical and impassioned. Like Thomas Bartlett, Sirota was also thrilled to present a new piece - Missy Mazzoli's 'Tooth and Nail'.

The final leg of the show featured Owen Pallett's sprightly selections. Though he is best known for his elaborate violin-looping skills, Pallett (who used to be known as Final Fantasy) started on the keyboard, accompanied by Bartlett and the slightly truncated strings section. After a few songs however, he picked up the violin so as not to betray his fans or the event poster. The majority of Palett's songs came from his last album, Heartland, but he also played an older song or two, including "He Poos Clouds."

Besides one odd technical difficulty when the music halted temporarily during the "difficult" song ("Lewis Takes Off His Shirt"), the acoustics were excellent, thanks largely to the carefully-engineered wood paneling in Merkin Concert Hall.

After each musician had the chance to show off a selection of songs from his or her repertoire, the group united on stage once more to conclude the evening with Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart."

--

Doveman has more shows coming up and Owen Pallett is headed down to Texas now. More pictures from the Ecstatic show, below...

Continue reading "Owen Pallett, Thomas Bartlett, Nadia Sirota & friends got 'Ecstatic' @ Merkin Concert Hall (pics)"

NY Times: You have a new CD out in March called "Justin Vivian Bond: Dendrophile." Explain.

Justin Vivian Bond: A dendrophile's a person who gets an erotic charge out of nature. I am one! This is a record for the tree-hugger community. I do Bambi Lake's "The Golden Age of Hustlers" on it, and also a duet of the Carpenters' "Superstar" with Beth Orton. As for Vivian, that's my self-given middle name. Justin is a very male-identified name, and I wanted something that would balance it. I had an uncle named Vivian Francis. He was a wonderful person, but he changed his name to Victor. He didn't like being Vivian. But it's fine with me.

Justin Bond, who seems to stick to the intimite confines of venues like Joe's Pub for headlining shows lately, will celebrate the new CD release with a headlining show at Bowery Ballroom on April 5th which is four days before the CD Release show in San Francisco. Tickets for the NYC show go on sale at noon today (2/24).

Opening the Bowery show will be Doveman who Justin (and pretty much everyone else mentioned in this post so far) recently joined for a show at Le Poisson Rouge. Maybe Justin will pop in again when Doveman and guests return to LPR on March 16th. Tickets are still on sale for that.

Justin, who was in attendance to see his Scissor Sisters and Lady Gaga play Madison Square Garden this week, also has a special show coming up at Joe's Pub on March 7th - a new musical he co-wrote with Sandra Bernhard and Scissor Sister Jake Shears. On March 9th Justin hosts a book reading in NYC.

Watch a recent video feature on Justin, Joe's Pub footage included, below...

Continue reading "Justin Bond releasing 'Dendrophile', playing Bowery Ballroom w/ Doveman (who produced the album) & stuff"

photos by Dominick Mastrangelo, words by Rachel Kowal

Dawn Landes, Norah Jones & Doveman

January's inaugural Burgundy Stain Session began softly with just Sam Amidon and Thomas Bartlett (Doveman) on stage, but for the second show in the series (2/8 at Le Poisson Rouge), Bartlett, the host, took a different approach. "Tonight, I thought we'd start with everyone on stage," said Bartlett excitedly, prompting nine additional musicians (dubbed by Bartlett as his "all-star backing chorus") to emerge from the audience and assume their positions. Crowded around a few mic stands, the group launched into a sweet, melodic Doveman song, "Angel's Share." (Beth Orton had to cancel due to 'unforeseen circumstances.')

Modeled after a salon, the Burgundy Stain Sessions are largely unscripted and free-flowing. "Sorry I didn't give anybody a set list," Bartlett eventually confessed. "I don't even really have a set list. I'm just making it up as we go." But instead of resulting in a sloppy mess, the music came together nearly seamlessly, thanks in part to the grand maestro, Doveman, who conducted both verbally ("I need A flat right here!") and with his animated body language (sudden glances, wild head nods).

Following the happy unification of musicians at the top of the show, the spotlight shifted to unannounced returning guest Glen Hansard. Once he had procured a pick from someone in the audience, he was ready. At the last Session, Hansard turned to Bartlett and announced, "none of your jazzy shit," but on Tuesday night, he seemed to be going along with it, as evidenced by their first song together. Apparently the song was brand new. "So Glen recorded that not too many days ago," Bartlett revealed. "His friend went to take a walk and he wrote it."

Many of the musicians are long-time friends and collaborators. Bartlett and Hansard met six or seven years ago (Bartlett can't really remember), and Amidon entered the picture long before that as was evidenced by the impromptu reunion of Popcorn Behavior, the childhood band Bartlett and brother Sam and Stefan Amidon (ages 13, 13, and 10 respectively). In addition to a Popcorn Behavior song, Sam played a song or two of his own, including "I See the Sign," which featured Doug Wieselman on bass clarinet.

Next up was Steve Salett who showcased some songs from his project, The Poison Tree. (His debut album is due out in March.) Much of Salett's songs were marked by technical difficulties due to some cell phone interference, prompting the group to stop while Bartlett switched his cell phone to airplane mode (it turns out his phone wasn't the culprit), but the show continued, thanks to Salett's booming baritone and his picturesque songs about the broken-hearted.

Apart from Glen Hansard (who was also present at the last Burgundy Stain Session), perhaps the biggest surprise guest of the evening was Norah Jones who performed a couple of songs, including a lovely cover song by the late Canadian singer-songwriter Kate McGarrigle, "(Talk to me of) Mendocino."

Since Le Poisson Rouge was set up in the round, the performers faced inward on stage... with exception of the theatrical Justin Bond, who made sure to sing to the whole room. Before beginning to play, the snarky, morose performance artist managed to both hit on Sam and get the whole room laughing. "I'm feeling horny and generous tonight," said Bond by way of introduction. "So someone might have a very nice evening tonight... and it might just be me." Bond played a series of songs, often featuring lyrics borrowed from (delightfully risque or provocative) poetry.

The "genderqueer" singer definitely elicited the most laughs of the evening. "I've got some bourbon. It's in a plastic cup, but it looks like glass, so hey! I'm all for things that look like one thing and are another," joked Bond. It was wise to conclude the show with this rousing performance, but the end still came rather abruptly and unexpectedly, leaving Bartlett to quickly ramble off next month's collaborators: Elysian Fields, Martha Wainwright, Sara Quin (from Tegan and Sara), Dawn Landes, David Thomas Broughton, and more. Tickets are still on sale for that show, and for Sam Amidon's show at Glasslands, and for the one Justin Bond has coming up at Joe's Pub on 2/20.

More pictures from the 2/8 show below....

Continue reading "Doveman played another salon w/ Norah Jones, Glen Hansard & more (pics), announced guests for next time"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

Beth Orton, Glen Hansard & Dawn Landes @ LPR

When Glen Hansard sets foot on the stages of a sold-out City Winery TONIGHT, it'll be his third visit to an NYC stage in a month. As advertised, The Frames frontman/Swell Season sensitive-man recently hopped on stage with Beth Orton, Sam Amidon, Nico Muhly, Dawn Landes, and as hinted, St. Vincent at the Doveman "Burgundy Stain Session" at Le Poisson Rouge in January (where these pics come from)...

"Thank you so much for coming," Thomas Bartlett (Doveman) began. "This is the first of these concerts that I'll be doing, and I thought it would be nice to start with just me and Sam because me and Sam have been playing music together since we were five."

The two kicked off the show with a simple, lovely, and faintly religious little song, "All is Well." Ringing out with repeatedly, the titular refrain seemed like a perfect starting point for the evening...

...After Sam had played through a few of his songs, he casually announced, "We're in a gospel mood," which was apparently Annie Clark's (St. Vincent) cue to make her way to the stage to fulfill her role as a "great gospel guitarist." Crouching down on stage in the shadow, Clark joined Amidon for one more song before the spotlight officially shifted to her. As she stood up, the stage lights shone through her messy main of curly hair, creating a halo that complimented her Amidon-annointed title....

...The evening proceded with a potpouri of performances. Hardly a song or two would pass before the configuration on stage would change. Beth Orton, Glen Hansard, and Dawn Landes would each have their turn. "One thing I realized is that I hate talking on stage so much that things are really going to need an emcee," Bartlett joked...." [Rachel Kowal]

The Poison Tree, as I wrote back in August 2009, "is Brooklyn, NY singer songwriter Steve Salett [of the King of France] and a rotating cast of collaborators borrowed from acts including The National, Rufus Wainwright, Antony and the Johnsons, and David Byrne." The Poison Tree's debut album will be released this March 15th on Embarque...

In recording its debut album, The Poison Tree leader Steve Salett, drew on a community of extraordinarily talented musicians that formed around Salett's Saltlands Studio and Saltmines rehearsal spaces in Brooklyn. "I approached it as, 'if you build it, they will come.' After that, a space and community coalesced organically around the rehearsal rooms," says Steve. "For The Poison Tree, we were able to pull musicians who regularly use the Saltmines. If we needed violin, trumpet, whatever, we just walked down the hall."

The supporting cast is extraordinary: Thomas Bartlett, better known as Doveman and briefly a member of King of France, provides much of the atmospheric Wurlitzer, piano, and organ parts. Of The Poison Tree, he says, "Steve is one of my favorite songwriters. Each song is a simple, perfect gesture, but with an elusive, enigmatic quality that will never lose its fascination for me."

Singer Dawn Landes, who will open for Justin Townes Earle on the road next month and also sang on Josh Ritter's latest album, also sang on 'The Poison Tree' record and did some engineering work. Others include bassist Jeff Hill (Rufus Wainwright), drummer Konrad Meissner (Graham Parker), and trumpeter C.J. Camerieri (Rufus Wainwright). Gary Mauer of Hem co-produced the album with Salett.

Lastly, besides writing all of the songs and playing guitar and vocals, the multi-talented Salett also co-produced and plays dulcimer, Rhodes, and whistle.

Don't forget that Sam Amidon has a show coming up at Glasslands on 2/16 (tickets), and even before that will join Nico Muhly, Bishi, Bryce Dessner, and ACME at St.Ann's Warehouse as part of Nico Muhly's Tell The Way. Tickets are available for all three shows, Feb 10th-12th.

More pictures from the 1/14 Doveman are below...

Continue reading "guests announced for 2/8 Doveman show (Justin Bond, Poison Tree, Beth Orton) --- St .Vincent, Glen Hansard & more played last time (pics)"

Sam Amidon at The Bell House (more by Vincent Cornelli)

If you missed the boat on Friday's now-sold out Doveman show at LPR featuring Sam Amidon, Glen Hansard, and Beth Orton (and special guests), then take note. Tickets are now on sale for the next two upcoming shows in the series at the same venue (February 16 and March 16). Special guests still haven't been announced for Feb and March, but with Thomas Bartlett's large circle of friends and collaborators, much is possible. As previously mentioned these 'salon' style shows will be full of experimentation and collaboration.

Tickets are also still on sale for the show Thomas/Doveman is playing with Owen Pallett and Nadia Sirota in March as part of the Ecstatic Music Festival.

AND, you can also catch Sam Amidon at Glasslands on February 16th. Tickets for this recently added Brooklyn show are on sale too.

Meanwhile, Amidon is set to play Schuba's in Chicago TONIGHT (1/13), and you can catch him at one of those shows with Nico Muhly at St. Ann's Warehouse in February (though I'm not sure what role he'll be playing in those shows). All other tour dates and some videos below.

Continue reading "more Doveman & Sam Amidon shows on sale"