Before and after: Nikon at Jones Beach Theater

As you surely remember, last October's Hurricane Sandy put a lot of things underwater. One of them was outdoor concert amphitheater Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre. Live Nation has been busy renovating ever since the water receeded:

Along with much of the coastal regions throughout New York and New Jersey, Superstorm Sandy inflicted catastrophic damage on the venue. Sandy generated a storm surge of 8--10 feet, and the ground floor, sub-structures and pathways under Jones Beach Theatre, which sits right on Zachs Bay, were submerged. Much of the 14,000 seat venue was impacted from the surge, from the stage to the seats, the backstage and concessions and VIP areas were all severely damaged.

But before construction could even commence, more than 3 million gallons of sea water had to be pumped out of the venue, which then had to be cleaned from top to bottom. Hundreds of tons of debris and damaged structures and equipment had to be removed from the site...

...The stage and boardwalk and their substructures had to be completely rebuilt from scratch. More than 9 miles of special MCM cable had to be replaced in the tunnels and access ways below the venue. All the doors on the main level, more than 200 in total, had to be replaced. Where possible the venue's infrastructure was redesigned to mitigate any future damages (i.e. the main electrical system was relocated to the second floor, above the 100 year floodplain) and replacement appliances and equipment were upgraded to energy efficient models.

Concerts at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater that you might be more interested in include, Fleetwood Mac on June 22, Bob Dylan/Wilco/Beck on July 27, and Depeche Mode/Bat for Lashes on September 8. The outdoor venue's entire summer schedule is below.

Continue reading "Hurricane Sandy-ravaged Nikon at Jones Beach Theater re-opens this weekend for 2013 summer concert season"

Fleetwood Mac at MSG earlier this month (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

When Fleetwood Mac played Madison Square Garden, we mentioned that the new material they played would be coming out on a new EP this year. That EP, simply titled Extended Play, just came out and can be downloaded at iTunes.

Fleetwood Mac's tour brings them back to the NYC-area for a show on June 22 at Jones Beach. Tickets for that show are still available.

Watch them play the EP's opening track, "Sad Angel," at MSG below...

Continue reading "Fleetwood Mac's new EP is out now"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

Stevie Nicks / Lindsey Buckingham

Fleetwood Mac (Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood) are back this year and are currently on an extensive tour that stopped in NYC for its first area show last night (4/8) at Madison Square Garden. They, not surprisingly, played more from Rumours than any other album, with huge hits like "Dreams," "Don't Stop," and "Go Your Own Way," in addition to some of its much-loved non-singles like "The Chain" and "Never Going Back Again." More interestingly, the album they tapped into second most was Rumours' "weird" followup Tusk, which has gained much of the credit it deserves over the years.

They also played a new song, "Sad Angel," which will appear on the band's new EP. Consequence of Sound points to a video of the band playing that song at their Philly show (4/6) where Lindsey said the EP would be out "in a few days." That video and the full setlist, pictures, and a video from the MSG show are in this post.

Fleetwood Mac's tour returns to the NYC area two more times this month for shows at Mohegan Sun on April 20 and Prudential Center on April 24, and after heading around the rest of the country, makes one more stop for their big outdoor show at Jones Beach on June 22. Tickets for all three of those shows are still available.

More pictures, setlist, and videos below...

Continue reading "Fleetwood Mac played Madison Square Garden, releasing a new EP (pics, setlist, videos)"

Head to The Kitten Covers for more.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the 2013 Fleetwood Mac train continues to grow, with new dates added to their previously announced US tour. Those new dates include Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre on June 22. Tickets go on sale February 1. The show is the third area date for the band, who will also take on MSG and Prudential Center in April (tickets). An updated tour schedule is listed below.

The shows are in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the band's landmark LP Rumors. Catch the super deluxe reissue due on January 29, and stream that classic LP in full below.

Continue reading "Fleetwood Mac expands tour, adds NYC-area show at Jones Beach (updated dates)"

by Andrew Sacher

The members of UK dance duo Psychemagik, Danny McLewin and Tom Coveney, met six years ago at a music festival and after recording a track, "Valley of Paradise," the two decided they needed to make an album together. Psychemagik make the kind of disco synth-funk that we've heard from Daft Punk and Justice, and it's also the kind of thing that would feel at home on DFA Records. They've been spending the last few years dropping remixes left and right, including ones of Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" and Talking Heads' "This Must Be The Place" -- two songs that you could already make a case for throwing on at a party, but Psychemagik's remixes seal the deal without making them sound like that shitty "Somebody That I Used to Know" remix that you keep hearing on the radio.

In December, Psychemagik released their first EP of original material, Lunar Escape, which consisted of three songs written and produced entirely by the duo without any samples, and the only outside help coming from string arranger Richard Chester on one of the tracks. This year, they're finally set to release that full length album they've been talking about. You can stream all three EP tracks, the Fleetwood Mac and Talking Heads remixes, and that early recording, "Valley of Paradise," below.

Psychemagik are set to make their way over to the USA in February to support the Lunar Escape EP with a five-week long DJ tour. That tour hits NYC for a FIXED party on March 2 at Glasslands. Tickets for that show are on sale now. It's a late show at the Brooklyn venue which happens after The Night Marchers play an earlier one the same night.

Song streams, a list of all dates, and the tour flyer below...

Continue reading "Psychemagik released an EP, working on album, going on US tour (dates, streams, remixes)"

Just a reminder that tickets to see Fleetwood Mac at Madison Square Garden (4/8/2013) and Prudential Center (4/24) go on sale today at 10 AM. Good luck!

As mentioned, Fleetwood Mac are going on a tour in 2013 which hits the NYC area on April 8 at MSG, April 20 at Mohegan Sun in CT, and Prudential Center on April 24 in NJ. Tickets for those shows went on AmEx presale earlier this week and Live Nation presales begin today (12/14) at 10 AM (password: "FMAC"). General on-sale starts Monday (12/17) at 10 AM.

In related news, in honor of the tour Fleetwood Mac will release a 35th anniversary reissue of their classic album, Rumours. The reissue is due out on January 29 via Rhino. The reissued vinyl album will include the Rumours-era b-side, "Silver Springs" There's also an expanded edition which includes a disc of live recordings from the Rumours tour and a disc of early takes and demos from the recording sessions. Plus, there will also be a deluxe edition with everything in the expanded edition, in addition to another disc of outtakes and a DVD documentary about the album called The Rosebud Film.

In more related news, Stevie Nicks just told NME that she'd love to headline Glastonbury 2013:

When we were there [in the UK] in 2011, I watched it. I watched Beyonce and it was pretty amazing! I had just got home from the Hyde Park thing, so I was just home from my own show and I turned on the TV and we had a pretty big screen in the hotel where we were, so I sat and watched like three hours, four hours of it, so would I love to do it? I'd Love to do it!

Continue reading "Fleetwood Mac reissuing 'Rumours', would love to headline Glastonbury; presale for 2013 shows begins"

As mentioned, Fleetwood Mac announced a 2013 tour that includes NYC area stops at Madison Square Garden on April 8, the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut on April 20 and the Prudential Center on April 24. While the general on-sale happens on Monday, December 17 at 10 AM, tickets go AmEx today at 10 AM for the MSG and Prudential Center shows, and Wednesday (12/12) at 10 AM for the Mohegan Sun show. Live Nation presale (password might be "Harmony") starts Friday (12/14) at 10 AM.

They had said they were going to tour next year and now we know when and where: Fleetwood Mac have announced a big 2013 North American tour that kicks off April 4 in Columbus, OH and will hit NYC at Madison Square Garden on April 8, and they'll also play Prudential Center on April 24. Tickets to all shows on this tour will go on sale Friday, December 14.

While still in the early stages of planning, Lindsay Buckingham tells Rolling Stone what he'd like to see happen on this tour:

Maybe we'll play more songs from Tusk. I'd also like to see an extended middle portion of the show that's just me and Stevie. This is just me talking from the top of my head. For now, I have no particular vision of what this tour is going to be.

All 2013 Fleetwood Mac tour dates are below.

Continue reading "Fleetwood Mac announce 2013 tour (dates)"

by Andrew Sacher

This month's issue of UK music magazine MOJO features a free CD titled Rumours Revisted, a tribute to Fleetwood Mac's landmark 1977 album, Rumours. (Not the first time a Fleetwood Mac tribute album came out this year.) The compilation features covers by Yeasayer, Liars, Julia Holter, Pure Bathing Culture, The Besnard Lakes, Dylan LeBlanc, and more. You can stream Yeasayer's take on "Second Hand News" and Liars' reworking of "The Chain" below, and to hear the rest of the album, you might have to get your hands on a copy of the new issue of MOJO or scour the internet for a download. (Side note: I've always wanted to hear 2007-era Yeasayer cover "The Chain" but I guess some things will have to remain up to the imagination...)

Over the summer, Fleetwood Mac revealed plans to tour in 2013. Details for that have still not been announced but the band continue to show signs that the tour is on the way. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Lindsey Buckingham revealed that he'd also like to record with Fleetwood Mac again:

"Absolutely, absolutely I would," he says of creating a new album. "In fact, about six, seven months ago, John [McVie] and Mick [Fleetwood] were over here and we actually cut some tracks, and we did enough for maybe half an album. But you gotta get Stevie [Nicks] on board with that, and at the time, she was really quite caught up in what she was doing . . . but I would love to do that because John and Mick were playing their asses off."

Streams and tracklist are below.

Continue reading "Yeasayer, Liars & more on new Fleetwood Mac tribute (streams); Lindsey Buckingham up for new FM album"

by Andrew Sacher

Craig Wedren/St. Vincent

You've already heard more than half of the upcoming Fleetwood Mac tribute album, Just Tell Me That You Want Me (due out 8/14 via Concord, but up for pre-order on iTunes now), which features mostly indie rock bands offering their takes on songs from throughout Fleetwood Mac's expansive career. Today we premiere another song from this collection -- Craig Wedren (of Shudder to Think and Baby) and St. Vincent (aka Annie Clark) tackling "Sisters of the Moon," a Stevie Nicks-penned standout off 1979's Tusk, with co-production from Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio). The two artists' shared love of off-kilter distortion come together nicely to turn one of Fleetwood Mac's dreamier songs into something entirely new. The first part of the song prominently features Craig singing lead, and a bit more than halfway through, Annie takes over with some heavily processed vocals and gives the song a complete 180. Have a listen for yourself by streaming the cover below.

Continue reading "listen to St. Vincent and Craig Wedren cover Fleetwood Mac (song premiere)"

Stevie Nicks came to "CBS This Morning" yesterday (7/11) for an on-air interview, during which she revealed that Fleetwood Mac plan to reunite "next year, so far." "It's the plan. Because that's what we do. I do my thing. And Lindsey (Buckingham is) out doing his thing now." During that interview, Stevie also spoke about the recent suicide of Fleetwood Mac member Bob Welch, saying "I can't even tell you what in the world would have pushed him to do something that crazy."

Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham are both currently on their own solo tours. Stevie hit the NYC area a few times in the past month, including Beacon Theater and she plays tonight (7/12) at Mohegan Sun in CT. Lindsey's tour is ongoing as well, and it hit NYC back in June for a show at BB King's.

As mentioned, there's also a Fleetwood Mac tribute in the works which comes on August 14 and features covers by mostly indie rock artists. Since we last wrote, many of those covers have surfaced on the internet. 10 of the 17 total covers are streaming below, including Lee Ranaldo Band and J Mascis' "Albatross," Antony's "Landslide," Billy Gibbons & Co.'s "Oh Well," Best Coast's "Rhiannon," The New Pornographers' "Think About Me," Lykke Li's "Silver Springs," Karen Elson (produced by Beck)'s "Gold Dust Woman," Matt Sweeney and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's "Storms," MGMT's "Future Games," and The Kills' "Dreams."

Those streams and lists of all Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham dates are below...

Continue reading "Fleetwood Mac reuniting in 2013; stream songs off their tribute LP; Stevie Nicks & Lindsey Buckingham on tour (separately)"

Sleigh Bells at Terminal 5 in Feb 2012 (more by Chris La Putt)

Sleigh Bells and The Kills will separately headline two Converse City Carnage concerts/skateboard events happening at Hudson River Park. The Sleigh Bells show happens Saturday July 21 and is with Jel and Mr. Dream; The Kills show happens August 18 and is with Black Bananas and Viva Viva.

Both shows are free but you do need physical tickets which can be ordered via Ticketmaster on June 22 starting at noon. You can also pick up tickets at Converse's Soho and Garden State Plaza retail locations.

Both shows are part of two-day events. The skateboarding part will take place on Fridays (July 20, August 17) and features Converse Skateboarding Ambassadors Kenny Anderson, Nick Trapasso, along with the entire Converse Skateboarding team. You can read more about it here. Leading up to City Carnage, Hudson River Park's Pier 62 Skate Park will get a facelift courtesy the sneaker folks.

The City Carnage show is part of Sleigh Bells expanded summer tour and all current dates -- some of which are opening for Refused -- are listed below.

In related news, The Kills are featured on a new Fleetwood Mac tribute album titled Just Tell Me That You Want Me. The Kills tackle karaoke favorite "Dreams" and elsewhere on the compilation you can hear Mac songs covered by Lee Ranaldo & J Mascis, Antony, New Pornographers (streaming below), Washed Out, Matt Sweeny & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Best Coast, Lykke Li, Craig Wedren & St. Vincent, Tame Impala, MGMT and more. The album's out August 14 -- tracklisting and bad cover art is below.

Continue reading "Sleigh Bells, The Kills and more are playing free shows in Hudson River Park; new Fleetwood Mac tribute LP on the way"

Nashville police are reporting that Bob Welch, former Fleetwood Mac guitarist and solo artist, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 65. Welch was in Fleetwood Mac from 1971 to 1974 and his exit made way for Lindsey Buckingham, shepherding in the band's hitmaking era.

But Welch went on to be a successful solo artist, scoring big hits with soft rock staples "Sentimental Lady" and "Ebony Eyes" in 1978. RIP, Bob.

Videos for both those hits are below.

Continue reading "Bob Welch R.I.P."

Dear ridiculously attractive person who just so happens to be looking at this webpage about Tasteful Nudes right now,

Hi. My name is Dave and this is my very first collection of essays. As you can probably imagine, it pretty much has everything. In fact, if you like stories about stolen meat, animal attacks, young love, death, naked people, clergymen, rock-n-roll, irritable Canadians, and prison, you have just hit a street called Easy because my book talks about all that stuff and a bunch of other stuff too.

Getting back to that prison thing for a second though, I can think of almost no place better to read my book than from within the confines of a correctional facility. For starters, you will definitely have the time. Also, cozying up with a good book in front of your fellow inmates is a great way to show them a softer side that for some reason no one ever wants to hear about in the yard.

Fear not though, non-convicts: my book makes for a solid read outside of prison too. At the beach, on the subway, while whitewater rafting, during couples counseling, under local anesthesia--I have personally seen to it that my book is totally readable in all these scenarios as well as most other scenarios out there today. It will make you laugh, cry, and maybe even think so much that it will make you forget all your problems while simultaneously creating a few new ones. In limited instances, it has been known to cause severe dehydration and the occasional groin pull, but honestly I don't know what that's about. That said, it's probably not a bad idea to keep a glass of water handy and really stretch things out before strapping yourself in for a literary thrill ride you will want to experience again and again until you are either dead or your eyesight fails completely, whichever comes first. In fact, if I end up being wrong about any of this stuff, you can kick me right in the privates. Also, I will send you a nice ham (serves twenty). In short, you really can't lose on this one.

Your man,
Dave Hill

Catch Dave live at The Rejection Show Valentine's Day Heartbreak Haven taking place at Littlefield on 2/14 with "Lizz Winstead, Dave Hill: The One Man Heat-Bringing Machine, Sara Benincasa, Mandy Stadtmiller, Eliot Glazer, Elna Baker, Adam Wade, Katina Corrao, Ted Travelstead, Tom Shillue, Jordan Carlos, Bridey Elliott, Giulia Rozzi, Liam McEneaney, Blaise Kearsley, The Defibulators, Colleen AF Venable, and pie by the slice by Daly Pie!", and then again at Littlefield on 2/18 for The Lindsey Buckingham Appreciation Society performs MIRAGE ... and more. Yes there will be Fleetwood Mac.

Stevie Nicks is currently on tour with Rod Stewart who you probably didn't want to see at Madison Square Garden on 3/26 and 4/6, even if you were tempted by Stevie's irresistible appearance on the bill. Well, good news: The Fleetwood Mac vocalist will celebrate the release of her new solo LP, In Your Dreams, with a rare club appearance at Webster Hall on May 4th, the day after the record hits store shelves, and two days before she plays the Borgata in Atlantic City.

Head to the Stevie Nicks webstore to pre-order the new LP. While you're there you can trade your email address for a "unique Ticketmaster pre-sale code" for Webster Hall tickets. Pre-sale begins Wednesday at 10am. Tickets go on general sale on Saturday, 4/16, at noon. There's a "radio presale" happening Friday too.

All tour dates and some videos of Stevie at MSG, below...

Continue reading "Stevie Nicks on tour w/ Rod Stewart, adds NYC club show --- 2011 Tour Dates & presale info"

Field Music didn't make it, but there was a special reunion set by Pulsars, followed by the super duper Wye Oak who played before special guest Rumours last night at The Bell House in Brooklyn (12/3).

As advertised (at the last minute anyway), Rumours was a Fleetwood Mac cover band. Cover song experts Loser's Lounge made up the band and a rotating cast of singers came to the stage to play individual tunes. Those vocalists included Dave Hill dueting with Erika from Au Revoir Simone, Will Sheff dueting with Beth Wawerna, Matthew Caws, Britta, Sharon Van Etten, Wye Oak, and many more. The show was in honor of Bell House booker Skippy. Well, it was his birthday party, and he even came out to help perform "I Don't Wanna Know" with Mia Riddle. The full setlist (which did not include AC Newman or Eugene Mirman - both must be out of town) with a couple of videos below...

Continue reading "Rumours (indie all-star Fleetwood Mac band) played the Bell House w/ Wye Oak & Pulsars - video & setlist"

FIELD MUSIC US TRIP CANCELLED
This is one of my worst days for some time. Unfortunately, we are not able to play our scheduled shows in New York tonight and in Chicago on Saturday. I've come down with flu-like symptoms and given the swine flu situation, spending eight hours sharing my germs with the population of an aeroplane heading to the US would seem like a very silly and fairly irresponsible thing to do. I'm totally devastated about this and would like to apologise to everyone who's bought tickets to come and see us and also to the promoters who've spent so much time and effort organising for us to come over and promoting the shows, especially to Jack at the Bell House -we were supposed to play this evening as part of his birthday celebrations.

We will try our very best to reschedule these shows sometime in the new year. In the meantime, again, I'm incredibly sorry we're not playing these shows. I hope we can make it up to you soon.
David

Fleetwood Mac returns to MSG on June 11th. Tickets are now on presale. Not sure, but the code might be HEMSGFM, or you can use an American Express.

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the Handsome Furs show at Bowery Ballroom.

Some Northside Festival Studio B tickets went on sale the other day. Today you can get tickets for the Dodos, Phil and the Osophers, and "very special guests".

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the Destroyer show at Bowery Ballroom.

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the Love is All show at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

The Slip are playing Bowery Ballroom on June 26th. Tickets are on sale today (@ noon).

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the Eagles of Death Metal show at Webster Hall.

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the Lemonheads show at Bowery Ballroom.

by Andrew Frisicano

NOTS producer Chi Chi Valenti @ Night of 1,000 Stevies 7...

Stevie Nicks (who is currently on a break from Fleetwood Mac's 3-month Unleashed tour) (and not actually pictured above) will stop by New York City for a visit to the Union Square Barnes & Noble on Tuesday, March 31st (7pm). The autograph session event will promote Nicks' Live In Chicago DVD and The Soundstage Sessions CD, both out that day on Reprise Records. The CD is comprised of 10 songs from the live-show DVD, which was recorded in October 2007. Nicks appears on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon the following day, April 1st.

If you wanted to catch Fleetwood Mac in NYC, their MSG gig already happened (on March 15th).

"Opening with 1975's jubilant "Monday Morning," the band's remaining four main members wove through a two hour and 20 minute set that functioned as a nearly unbroken greatest hits medley." [Daily News]

Night of 1,000 Stevies press release and video, with Fleetwood Mac tour dates, and the Stevie Nicks Soundstage Sessions trailer, album art and track list, below...

Continue reading "new Stevie Nicks album, signing ++ Night of 1,000 Stevies 19"

Deer Tick @ BV official showcase @ Club De Ville - yesterday

The Bronx (crowd) @ BV day party @ Emo's - yesterday

the mayor of Austin & Titus Andronicus, Austin, TX - yesterday

Future Islands @ the 1896 in February (more by Lori Baily)

tonight in NYC
* Maceo Parker @ SOBs
* Fleetwood Mac @ MSG
* Allman Brothers @ Beacon
* The Roots @ Highline Ballroom
* Butch Walker & The Films @ Maxwell's
* Pronto, Puss 'N Boots @ Mercury Lounge
* CuCu Diamantes (of Yerba Buena) @ Bowery Ballroom
* Double Dagger, Future Islands, Teeth Mountain @ Market Hotel
* Matt Everett, Ingrid Olava, Magdyn Osh, Annie and Her Guns @ Cake Shop

Things will be a little slow today due to SXSW. Sorry! We're trying to keep up.

Speaking of which, if you are in SXSW, come by our Thursday and Friday parties.

Everything went great yesterday - day party at Emo's followed by night party at Club De Ville (more about that later).

Great Lake Swimmers' video for Your Rocky Spine below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

Castanets

today in NYC
* DANCE
* Jim Gaffigan @ Town Hall
* Nicole Atkins @ the Wonderbar
* Tina Turner @ the Prudential Center
* The Parlor Mob & The Gay Blades @ Mercury Lounge
* Pitchfork 500 release party @ Gutter Bar
* Youssou N'dour's Great African Ball @ Nokia Theatre
* Steel Train, Dear and the Headlights & Forgive Durden @ Bowery Ballroom
* El Ten Eleven, Castanets, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson & Happy Anarchy @ The Bell House

John McVie of Fleetwood Mac was born today in 1945.

The Pitchfork 500, "Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present" is out now. They're celebrating tonight at Gutter Bar.

Youssou N'dour also plays at Nokia Theatre on Thanksgiving.

There isn't much going on, on Thanksgiving, but Dr. Lonnie Smith also plays two shows at Iridium Jazz Club - it's the beginning of a four day residency.

The NY Times says, "Radio's Revenue Falls Even as Audience Grows".

Beck's "Youthless" video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday (Thanksgiving-Eve)"

Tickets go on Citi Cardmember presale this morning for Stevie Nicks shows at Jones Beach & PNC Bank Arts Center. All tour dates below....

Continue reading "Stevie Nicks - 2008 Tour Dates, presale"