Outside Lands Fest 2012 (more byAmoreena Lucero)

The 2013 edition of San Francisco's Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival with happen at Golden Gate Park on August 9 - 11. This year's line-up includes Paul McCartney, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nine Inch Nails, Phoenix, Vampire Weekend, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, D'Angelo, Willie Nelson, Grizzly Bear, Band of Horses, Hall & Oates, Foals, A-Track, Jurassic 5, Kurt Vile and many more. Tickets go on sale Thursday (4/18) at noon PDT.

This is the sixth edition of Outside Lands, and the full announced line-up is below.

Continue reading "Outside Lands Fest 2013 line-up: Paul McCartney, Nine Inch Nails, Phoenix, Vampire Weekend, Yeah Yeah Yeahs ++ more)"

by Laina Dawes

Matt Pike's High on Fire

Writer/photographer Laina Dawes has just released her new book, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? A Black Woman's Life and Liberation in Heavy Metal. The book recounts her journey as a black woman in heavy metal and examines these genres with respect to racial and gender issues. Its a fascinating read, and available now via Bazillion Points. Reccommended.

Laina has seen her fair share of shows this year and as such, we asked her to chime in on her favorites of 2012. Her thoughts and photos are below.

Continue reading "Author / photographer Laina Dawes recounts favorite shows of 2012"

Fishbone at Deluna Festival 2012 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Fishbone is currently on tour in Europe, and though there's no sign of a North American tour for them yet, they'll be playing two shows in NYC at Brooklyn Bowl on February 24. They'll play an acoustic set at 3 PM (doors at noon) and as that falls under the venue's Saturday and Sunday Family Day bowling times, the usually 21+ venue will be open to all ages before 6 PM and entry is free for guests under 16. Then at 6, doors will open for their 8 PM electric set, and admission goes back to being 21+ as usual. Tickets for the early acoustic set and the late electric set are on sale now.

In related news, founding Fishbone member Chris Dowd, who left the band in 1994 after their Give a Monkey a Brain and He'll Swear He's the Center of the Universe album and contributed keyboards, trombone, and vocals to the group, has a new ska band, The Ultra Infidels, who have some upcoming shows in the area. They'll play December 1 at Consolidated Fire House in Bordentown, NJ with Bigger Thomas and Funkface, and December 2 at Saint Vitus in Brooklyn with McRad, Dead Serious, and Funkface. Tickets for the Saint Vitus show are on sale now. Tickets for the NJ show will be available here.

Some Ultra Infidels song streams and a list of all Fishbone dates below.

Continue reading "Fishbone playing 2 shows at Brooklyn Bowl in February (1 electric, 1 acoustic); The Ultra Infidels playing shows too"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

Pearl Jam at Deluna Fest 2012

Over the two hours and 15 minutes that followed, [Pearl Jam] would play 28 songs, which included two encore breaks, that spanned 21 years and nine studio albums. Two of the band's most popular cover versions, "Interstellar Overdrive" by Pink Floyd and "Baba O'Riley" by The Who, were included, while Mike McCready took the second encore's final song, the oft unintelligible "Yellow Ledbetter" into a "Star Bangled Banner" guitar solo, a la Jimi Hendrix. The crowd was, as expected, one of the two biggest of the weekend... The band played seven of the 11 tracks from its legendary debut Ten, including: "Once," "Even Flow," "Alive," "Why Go," "Black," "Oceans" and "Porch." Vedder boasted of the band's terrific relationship with one another, one that has kept it in tact for more than two decades.

...the festival's most memorable moment came during Gaslight Anthem's Friday set. Lead singer Brian Fallon invited Eddie Vedder onstage, suggesting that anyone that came was there to work and there would be no "phoning it in." Vedder proceeded to perform Pearl Jam's "State of Love and Trust" with Gaslight Anthem... The early festival collaboration was its most talked about and its defining moment. -[al.com]

Continue reading "Deluna Festival 2012 -- day 1 in pics (Pearl Jam, Guided By Voices, Ben Folds Five, Fishbone, Band of Skulls + more)"

by Bill Pearis

After busting up the gang in 2000, snarky mid-'90s piano trio Ben Folds Five reunited this year with a new album on the way and a tour, which they're on now. The tour stops at Central Park Summerstage tonight (9/14), their first NYC show in 12 years. Tickets for tonight's show are still available. BFF will also return to the NYC area for a show at Port Chester's Capitol Theatre on October 9 with Kate Miller Heidke (tickets) and a couple days later they will play opening night of New York Comic Con on October 11. Tckets for that are still available too.

Ben Folds Five, best known for their ballad "Brick" back when people still held up lighters at shows (1997), have a new album, The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind, which is their first since 1999 and is out next week (9/18). The record was funded via Pledgemusic and is a little mellower than the bouncy, fuzzy pop of their Clinton-era singles like "Underground" and "The Battle of Who Could Care Less" but his sense of humor seems intact. You can listen to tracks at SPIN, TeamCoco and Rolling Stone.

Ben Folds Five are also playing Florida's Deluna Fest which happens September 21 - 23 in Pensacola Beach, FL and also features Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Bob Mould doing Copper Blue, Diplo, Florence & the Machine, Band of Horses, and many more. Tickets for Deluna Fest are still available and full line-up is below.

A list of all Ben Folds Five dates, a few classic clips and that Deluna Fest lineup are below...

Continue reading "reunited Ben Folds Five releasing LP, playing Central Park (tonight), Comic Con, Deluna Fest (lineup) & other dates"

photos by Saskia Kahn words by Jamie Frey

Fishbone at Brooklyn Bowl - 7/8/12

Earlier this month, the CBGB Festival (plus everything else going on) made for a pretty exhausting first weekend, and to close it out, I found myself going out to see one of my favorite live bands, the eclectic, electric Fishbone at the late show at Brooklyn Bowl on July 8th (one of two shows for the band at the venue). Earlier this year their trials and tribulations were featured in the rock doc Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone.

In promotion of their new record Crazy Glue, singer/saxophonist Angelo Moore found himself sitting with The Roots on Jimmy Fallon, wailing his mighty theremin, performing on network TV for the first time in a while last Wednesday. They also played a live outdoor show in the scorching heat at Metrotech and a special all ages set for the family folk the afternoon before this Brooklyn Bowl performance Sunday night.

The first time I saw Fishbone was topping a ten band bill (including snorers King's X) at Don Hill's over ten years ago. Their great reception at Brooklyn Bowl this past Sunday gives me a feeling of an upswing in their over thirty year career. While introducing the same song, Angelo thanked The Roots, "taking a bullet" for Fishbone by playing "Lyin' Ass" Bitch upon Michelle Bachman's entrance, which was probably the most press the band has received since the 90's.

The real story of Fishbone is their live show, centered around original members Moore, who is a schizophrenic combination of Cab Calloway, Gil-Scott Heron and Iggy Pop, low down pocket groove bassist Norwood Fisher and recently returning trumpeter Dirty Walt, who started the band in South Central L.A. when they were in Junior High School. They are joined by Rocky George (ex-Suicidal Tendencies, Cro-Mags) on guitar, longtime drummer John Stewart and two younger cats, keeping the youthful vibe.

Fishbone's set was as speedy as ever, warmed up from the earlier performance, speeding through classics like "Ma and Pa" and "Everyday Sunshine" with thrashed out tenacity, including a double speed cover of Sublime's "Date Rape". Their feel good reggae flavored songs were cut with heavier tunes and theremin solos. Their composite of unfashionable genres: ska, funk, metal, new wave, hardcore and soul, makes for a crowd that is gleefully uncool, crowd surfing and moshing like Clinton was still in office. Fishbone unironically had a bunch of ladies come dance onstage with them, I guess Williamsburg really has changed.

The older, nostalgic crowd gleefully cheered on their heroes as they interwove new material, like the political title cut from their new album and the brilliant, swing-flavored "Behind My Sunglasses" with favorites like "Sunless Saturday" and their immaculate cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Freddy's Dead." Things can get silly at Fishbone shows; Angelo overseeing a drunk, stoned circus, but this band can seriously play (with a frontman who entertains, what a dated concept!) and is running strong when other bands would have called it quits twenty years ago.

More pictures from the Brooklyn Bowl show are below.

Continue reading "Fishbone played Brooklyn Bowl (pics, review)"

As previously posted and tweeted earlier today, the BAM-sponsored, weekly free series of lunchtime live music outside downtown Brooklyn office complex Metrotech - always well curated, continues this afternoon (6/28), somewhat hilariously with a performance by ska-punk legends Fishbone (if you're close by, it's time to take your lunch break!).

The band is currently on a tour that also brings then Buffalo, Toronto and Montreal this weekend. They're back in NYC by July 8th to play two shows at Brooklyn Bowl - an early family show and a late gig with Paranoid Social Club. The late show is part of the CBGB Festival which is also hosting a screening of documentary "Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone" at Anthology Film Archives (individual tickets are on sale).

Fishbone are also on the lineups of Riot Fest Chicago and Bumbershoot this year, and have a lot of other dates scheduled too. They're all listed below...

Continue reading "Fishbone playing free show at noon, CBGB Fest, two shows at Brooklyn Bowl and other dates"

What's better than getting a little sexy? Getting sexy for free at noon in the middle of Metrotech, BAM is guessing. That theory will be put to the test once again at the 2012 R&B Festival at Metrotech Commons, the annual, completely free and open to the public series going down throughout the summer. Kicking off on June 7th with a performance from the legendary Larry Graham and Graham Central Station, the party goes down every Thursday at noon until middle August and features appearances from Aloe Blacc, Fishbone, Blitz the Ambassador, The Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, Shemekia Copeland and NRBQ, Ky-Mani Marley, and more. Full shcedule is below.

The Orchestre Poly-Rythmo also play Central Park Summerstage while they're in town.

Aloe Blacc's appearance is one of THREE scheduled for NYC, including another free show at Lincoln Center on August 12th. He'll also be on hand to celebrate the late, great Curtis Mayfield on July 20th.

All Aloe Blacc dates, some video and the R&B Festival schedule, below....

Continue reading "2012 BAM R&B Fest schedule (free daytime shows in Brooklyn) (Fishbone, Aloe Blacc, Larry Graham, and more)"

The 2012 music lineup was announced today for Bumbershoot: Seattle's Music & Arts Festival, which is produced by non-profit arts organization One Reel and takes place over Labor Day weekend, Sept. 1-3, at Seattle Center. The 42-year-old urban festival stands on top nationally in its variety as it showcases both familiar and up-and-coming regional and national talent in many musical genres, as well as in comedy, theater, literary and visual arts, dance, film and children's programming.

Bumbershoot's Mainstage in KeyArena will feature two multi-act performances each day. Artists scheduled to perform there include groundbreaking alternative rock band Jane's Addiction, jazz legend Tony Bennett, electronic phenom Skrillex, a hip hop double bill with Mac Miller and Big Sean, M83, and AWOLNATION among others. Additional Mainstage acts will be announced in coming weeks.

Tickets are all-inclusive. All festival offerings, including Mainstage admission on a first-come, first-served basis (no separate pass required), and late-night electronic music curated by Decibel Festival for Bumbershoot After Dark, are included in the price of a single-day or 3-day ticket

Continue reading "Bumbershoot 2012 lineup (Jane's Addiction, Tony Bennett & Skrillex are the headliners)"

today in NYC
* NY Comedy Festival
* ASSSSCAT 3000 @ UCB
* The Fagettes @ Cake Shop
* John Hiatt @ City Winery
* Alt.Timers Trio @ The Stone
* Fishbone (acoustic) @ Brooklyn Bowl
* The Ken Filiano Trio @ The Stone
* Wyldlife, Kung Fury, Keeps @ Trash Bar
* Crappy Cinema Council: Trailers @ Public Assembly
* Chuck Johnson, Trevor Healy, Zeke Healy @ Zebulon
* Eternal Decay, Hak-ed Damm, Fin Amour @ Saint Vitus
* Anthrax, Testament, Death Angel @ Paramount Theater
* Stats, Multitudes, Noxious Foxes, Zvoov @ Union Pool
* Fishbone, Rene Lopez, Roots of Creation @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Stephane Wrembel Presents The Django Experiment @ Barbes
* Kimya Dawson, Your Heart Breaks, Berth Control @ Knitting Factory
* Psychobuildings, Papertwin, Modern Rivals, Robotdrummer @ Glasslands
* Manchester Orchestra, White Denim, The Dear Hunter @ Wellmont Theater
* Teletextile, Lydia Ainsworth, Xenia Rubinos, Live Footage @ Mercury Lounge
* Foo Fighters, Social Distortion, The Joy Formidable @ Madison Square Garden
* Aaron Roche, Seaven Teares, Beautiful Weekend, itsnotyouitsme @ Shea Stadium
* Ben Frost's Music For 6 Guitars w/ Brian Eno @ Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (NYPL)
* The Potatomen, Laura Stevenson & The Cans, Black Wine, Waxahatchee, Melissa and Paul @ Maxwell's
* Skeletons, So Percussion, Calder Quartet, Diamond Terrifier, Andrew W.K. (DJ set) @ 285 Kent Ave
* Norton Records 25th Anniversary w/ The Sonics, The Real Kids, Tandoori Knights, The A-Bones @ The Bell House

Fishbone is playing two shows at Brooklyn Bowl today.

Andrew WK is only DJing at 285 Kent tonight.

What else?

Fishbone circa 1985

"From the shifting faultlines of Hollywood fantasies and the economic and racial tensions of Reagan's America, Fishbone rose to become one of the most original bands of the last 25 years. With a blistering combination of punk and funk they demolished the walls of genre and challenged the racial stereotypes and political order of the music industry and the nation. Telling it like it is, the iconic Laurence Fishburne narrates EVERYDAY SUNSHINE, a story about music, history, fear, courage and funking on the one.

At the heart of the film's story is lead singer Angelo Moore and bassist Norwood Fisher who show how they keep the band rolling out of pride, desperation and love for their art. To overcome money woes, family strife, and the strain of being aging Punk rockers on the road, Norwood and Angelo are challenged to re-invent themselves in the face of dysfunction and ghosts from a painful past.

Featuring interviews with Flea, Gwen Stefani, Ice-T, Perry Farrell, Branford Marsalis, George Clinton, Tim Robbins, Gogol Bordello, ?uestlove, and others, EVERYDAY SUNSHINE traces the band's history, influence, and struggle as individualistic, genre-blending artists up against an unforgiving music industry that threatens to pass them by.

Angelo will also be playing a show at Bowery Electric on 10/9 "with The RBC plus Dan Bailey and Living Rhythm, Hahn Solo from Dub is A Weapon."

Fishbone have a new EP, New Crazy Glue, due on 10/11/11. Catch the punk-funk crew on the road in October/November, including at Brooklyn Bowl on 11/13. Tickets are on sale. All dates are listed below.

Fishbone are also listed in the credits of Tim Armstrong's new musical web series.

Film trailer, tour dates, and some videos below...

Continue reading "Fishbone documentary screening, members doing Q&A & playing shows (dates)"

Janelle at Afro-Punk 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

Afro-Punk 2011 will take place in Fort Greene's Commodore Barry Park on August 27 and 28. This year's crazy lineup consists of Cee Lo Green, Janelle Monae (who played the fest in 09), Fishbone, Santigold, Jay Electronica, Toro y Moi, Reggie Watts and more. The festival will also a hold a Skate and BMX competition, and other related events. Admission is free to the general public.

Full lineup below...

Continue reading "Afro-Punk 2011 -- free Fort Greene fest lineup (Cee Lo, Janelle Monae, Toro y Moi, Santigold, Fishbone, Reggie Watts, more)"

"Krumholtz, repped by CAA and the Collective, is developing Igotchaback, a half-hour single-camera comedy for FX based loosely on the lives of legendary rap artist and Wu Tang Clan founding member GZA and his publicist Heathcliff Berru. The project, which Krumholtz is executive producing with an eye to star, centers on an up-and-coming music industry manager tasked with representing an aging rap star mired knee-deep in existential crisis." [Deadline]

"Fishbone, who are the subjects of the documentary "Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone" which is screening at SXSW Film Fest will be performing at the Austin Music Hall on March 17 with (oh snap!) Wu-Tang Clan. Holla!" [Austin 360]

As one of the self-proclaimed pioneers of stage-diving, Fishbone front man Angelo "Dr. Madd Vibe" Moore has been perfecting his form for more than 25 years.

But his diving produced an unwilling ripple in his human sea while the band performed last month at the World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.

On Friday, a woman who was at that show filed a lawsuit against Moore, charging that he broke her collarbone when he launched off the stage onto the outstretched hands of the audience. Kimberly Myers, 42, of Voorhees, N.J., claims in the suit that she attended Fishbone's Feb. 23 show at the World Cafe's downstairs stage and that "without any warning," Moore dived off the stage and into the audience near where she was standing.

The suit claims that she also suffered a fractured skull, perforated eardrum and hearing loss and that she had to be taken from the venue by an ambulance. [Philly Daily News]

"Joey Ramone (May 19, 1951 - April 15, 2001), born as Jeffrey Ross Hyman, was a vocalist and songwriter best known for his work in the punk rock group the Ramones. Joey Ramone's image, voice and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon." [Wikipedia]

The event will also be the unveiling of new tracks from the forthcoming posthumous Joey Ramone solo record. In other Joey Ramone news, the singer's induction award to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was re-presented to his estate at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex in NYC, and accepted by Mickey Leigh and Tommy Ramone, on Thursday, May 14th, after mistakenly being left off the program in the original 2002 ceremony.

Coming up, Tommy Ramone and Handsome Dick Manitoba, who will be at the birthday bash, are speaking with Lenny Kaye (of the Patti Smith Group and more) and Chris Stein (of Blondie) at "LOUD FAST JEWS! A Summit with Four Jewish Fathers of Punk" on Thursday, June 11th at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research (15 West 16th St). Tickets to that event are on sale. More info below.

Catch Chris Stein this summer with Blondie, as the band tours alone and with Pat Benatar and The Donnas. All three will play the tour's NYC stop, a free show on August 13th at Coney Island's Asher Levy Park.

Also coming to NYC is Gods and Monsters' 20th anniversary show, scheduled for NYC's Gramercy Theatre on June 11th. The band, helmed by guitarist Gary Lucas, will be joined by guests that include Lenny Kaye. Tickets are still on sale.

Uncle Monk, Tommy Ramone's indie-bluegrass band, has scattered shows in NYC and elsewhere coming up. The band plays June 10th at Banjo Jim's and June 21st at Local 269. More dates below.

Joey Ramone's B-Day bash poster, Loud Fast Jew info, and a video of the Ramones' initial induction ceremony, also below...

Continue reading "Joey Ramone would be 58 today, party in NYC tonight ++ other Ramones / Blondie / Manitoba / Kaye appearances "

Celebrating what would have been the 58th birthday of punk icon Joey Ramone, the annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash will take place Tuesday, May 19th at The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza. Mickey Leigh, event organizer and brother of Joey Ramone, has announced that, as part of the 9th annual Bash, fans will be treated to a special advance sneak peek listen to rough mixes of never-before-heard Joey Ramone solo recordings. Various producers, including long-time Ramones producer Ed Stasium, are currently preparing tracks for a full album worth of material, slated for posthumous release at the end of the year.

This year's headliners are Fishbone and Supersuckers. The spectacular party will conclude with The Friends Of Joey featuring Richie Ramone, Handsome Dick Manitoba, Jean Beauvoir, Ivan Julian, George Tabb, Al Maddy and Mickey Leigh. Also appearing are Death and Rough Francis (both bands were the subject of a feature story in the New York Times on March 12), Uncle Monk (featuring Tommy Ramone), Bebe Buell, and Tom Clark & The High Action Boys. As the audience enters the venue they will once again be greeted by musician Tracy Thornton, playing Ramones songs on the steel drum. And, in what has become a Birthday Bash tradition, Sean O'Sullivan's Punk Pipers will round out the night on the bagpipes. The fete will be emceed by Matt Pinfield and Peter Aschner. Additional surprises are expected at the evening's events...Net proceeds from the Bash go to support the Joey Ramone Foundation for Lymphoma Research.

Videos from the 2008 party, below...

Continue reading "2009 Joey Ramone Birthday Bash lineup & new album info "

(King Khan and) BBQ @ MHOW, CMJ (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

today in NYC
* DANCE
* Fastball @ Maxwell's
* Jim Gaffigan @ Town Hall
* Arlo Guthrie @ Carnegie Hall
* Harry Connick Jr @ City Center
* Fishbone @ Knitting Factory
* Real Estate @ Cake Shop (free, late)
* Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio @ Iridium Jazz Club
* They Might Be Giants @ (le) poisson rouge
* Devon Williams & The Feverfew @ Cake Shop
* Ewan Pearson & 2020 Soundsystem @ Studio B
* The So So Glos, Lidia Stone, Radiates & Banzai @ Silent Barn
* El Guincho & Prefuse 73 (both DJ sets) @ (le) poisson rouge
* Gang Gang Dance, Marnie Stern & 18th Dye @ Santos Party House
* Amazing Baby, MBAR, The Muggabears & My Best Fiend @ Mercury Lounge
* King Khan & BBQ Show, Golden Triangle & The Jacuzzi Boys @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

What do you think of Fishbone in 2008? They play Knitting Factory tonight.

King Khan is also at Bowery Ballroom on Sunday. That show is with Vivian Girls.

Dr. Lonnie Smith (master of the Hammond B3 organ) and Jim Gaffigan (comedian) also continue their multiple night NYC runs on Sunday.

The Game was born today in 1979.

Tina Turner hits MSG on Monday - the same night Snow Patrol play their small venue show at Bowery Ballroom.

"I feel like I invite music into my life rather than solicit it. I like peppering my career with very successful music as opposed to going out in a very highly competitive field and missing a lot to get the occasional hit. I have the luxury of doing that because film is my primary career." - says John Travolta on singing in Bolt.

They Might Be Giants play Apollo 18 in its entirety at Le Poisson Rouge tonight (early). El Guincho and Prefuse 73 DJ Le Poisson Rouge tonight (late). They Might Be Giants play Le Poisson Rouge again on January 31st. El Guincho plays Le Poisson Rouge on December 2nd.

The Real Estate show tonight at Cake Shop is a free late show after the 4-band bill Devon Williams is playing.

Todd P isn't currently listing any shows, but says, "...a bit of a quiet spell for me. Don't worry though, there are a whole lot of secret(ish) shows in the works, plus some much much bigger plans still in the early but very time consuming stages..."

The Christmas tree lighting @ South Street Seaport is today. The Big Apple Chorus will be there today and every weekend until Christmas. Ice skating and other (more fun) live music is coming to the Seaport soon too. Rockefeller Center's tree gets lit on December 3rd.

Jdimytai Damour, RIP

Video of Reverend Billy preaching in Union Square on Buy Nothing Day (Black Friday) (yesterday) below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday?"

"Polvo Death Ray", Bowery Ballroom - June 21, 2008 (The Blueprint)

Salif Keita @ Prospect Park Bandshell, NYC - June 22, 2008 (cred)

today in NYC & NJ
* FREE STUFF
* JVC Jazz Festival
* Pearl Jam & Ted Leo @ MSG
* Gilberto Gil @ Nokia Theatre
* Butthole Surfers @ Asbury Lanes
* Made Out of Babies @ Union Pool
* Brooklyn Philharmonic in Central Park
* Ulrich Schnauss @ World Financial Center
* The Queers on a Rocks Off Concert Cruise
* Silver Apples & friends @ Knitting Factory
* Salif Keita @ B.B. King Blues Club and Grill
* Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band @ Radio City Music Hall

If you missed the free show Salif Keita played in Prospect Park on Sunday, tonight at BB King's is your second chance.

Other upcoming Rocks Off Cruises include Japanther, Lucero, a dance party hosted by David Bruno and Robot Blair AND FISHBONE.

What else?