With Ween on permanent hiatus, Aaron Freeman released Rod McKuen tribute Marvelous Clouds, his first solo album under his own name, last May. No word on a new record, but the artist formerly known as Gene Ween does have some spring tour dates, including one in NYC at Music Hall of Williamsburg on May 10. Tickets for that show go on AmEx presale today (4/3) at noon with the regular on-sale happening Friday (4/5) at noon.

All tour dates are below.

Continue reading "Aaron Freeman (aka Gene Ween) schedules tour dates"

by Klaus Kinski

I am going to spare you my usual editorializing and get right to the meat of the situation here. Basically, there is an absolute shit-ton of comedy and benefit type shows coming to the Bell House. I hope you like brass tacks, because I'm going to get right down to them.

Hey, did you get tickets for PROFESSOR BLASTOFF LIVE with Hosts Tig Notaro, Kyle Dunnigan, David Huntsberger plus a special guest? It happens at the Bell House on Saturday November 17 (aka this Saturday!) and, man, it sure as hell sold out.

On Wednesday (11/21), the Bell House will play host to The Musical Extravaganza to Restore Red Hook! starring Rosanne Cash and featuring Alex Battles and the Whisky Spitter Rebellion and B61: A film by Michael Buscemi. Here's more:

The evening kicks off with a square dance, hosted by NYC Barn Dance. Roseanne Cash will headline the evening, and Jesse Lenat, John Pinamonti and the Brotherhood of the Whiskey Spitter Rebellion will play. Michael Buscemi will screen his new film on the bus that runs through Red Hook, called "B61."

This show will benefit Restore Red Hook. Restore Red Hook aims to raise funds to help the small businesses of Red Hook, Brooklyn reopen their doors as soon as possible after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy.

Tickets are on sale now.

On Sunday, November 25th at 8:00pm, as mentioned, the Bell House and Pretty Good Friends team up for a Hurricane Relief Benefit featuring A Very Funny 'F*ck You' To Sandy. The show will be hosted by Eugene Mirman and feature comedy from a powerhouse line up including Jon Glaser, Wyatt Cenac, Mike Birbiglia , Michael Che and more. I am vexed that this show isn't sold out, so get your tickets now!!

Wyatt Cenac at Prospect Park, August 2012 (more by Jessica Amaya)

And speaking of Wyatt Cenac, check him out a little less than a month later at the much smaller Union Hall when, on Friday December 21, he'll be part of the comedy roster at The Afterlife Comedy Show. The show is gang-hosted by Emily Heller, George Gordon, Erin Judge, and Josh Gondelman. The show is a measly eight bucks and besides Wyatt and the awesome hosts and hostess there will be more comedy to boot!

On Friday November 30 Nick Kroll, one of my all time favorite comedians, takes the stage for a headlining show at the Bell House. Sadly, this show sold out faster than a speeding bullet. I am still recovering from wounds sustained during a self-flagellation sesh I performed on myself upon realizing this had happened. But keep your eye on the Bell House twitter feed in case they release more tickets. Or, go hang outside the venue before the show because I promise you there will be many-a nimrod out there with extra tickets they'd sell for face.

Allow me to go ahead and continue to mention another great Wyatt Cenac related show, this one happening at the Bell House on Wednesday December 5th; for on Wednesday December 5th you can thrill to the THE TELL YOUR FRIENDS! THE CONCERT FILM! RELEASE SHOW/SANDY BENEFIT (caps totally necessary). Join host Liam McEneaney as he brings to the stage Wyatt Cenac, Aaron Freeman (formerly Gene Ween), Christian Finnegan, Victor Varnado, A Brief View of The Hudson, Rob Paravonian , and more! The guests WILL be quite special, your money is going to a good cause, and it's not sold out yet. Get yer tix now!

And don't forget about Wyatt's weekly show "Night Train" which happens at Littlefield.

On Thursday December 6 the Bell House will be the site of two live podcast recordings of How Did This Get Made? A Live Podcast With Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas and June Diane Raphael. The early show went on sale and promptly sold out, but they added a late show (Thank Cod!) and tix for that are currently still available. Kaboom!

Flash forward a week later to Thursday December 13 and the Bell House will play host to The Party Machine's 2nd Annual Holiday Benefit Blowout! The show is hosted by the EXTREMELY funny and wonderful Arden Myrin and Lisa Delarios and features and atomic line-up of comedians including Jon Glaser, Chris Gethard, Sheng Wang, Janeane Garofalo and Adira Amram and the Experience. Tickets are only $12 and it will sell out, so git along l'il doggie and buy some tix!

Then on Wednesday December 19th catch TODD BARRY 25TH ANNIVERSARY IN COMEDY SHOW featuring Janeane Garofalo, Ted Alexandro, Jim Gaffigan and more! Thanks to that skank hurricane Sandy, Todd's first attempt at a 25th anniversary show was left in ruins so this is your make up date people. No excuses. This show WILL SELL OUT, so get your tickets right this very second. This show is a benefit for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Two days later on Friday December 21, toddle on over to the Bell House for John Hodgman: That Is All. December 21, 2012 is the last day of the Mayan long count calendar and many buffoons and dipshits are prophesizing that this day marks certain doom for mankind. Along with musician Cynthia Hopkins and other special guests, Hodgman will count down to midnight, when his predictions will be proved TRUE! Or else FALSE! Tickets are on sale, but not for long! I prophesize a sell out!

Aaron Freeman (aka Gene Ween) released, Marvelous Clouds, his first solo album under his real name, this week via Partisan Records. Freeman's record release show at 92Y Tribeca tonight (5/9) is sold out, but we're giving away a pair of tickets. Details are below.

Marvelous Clouds is a tribute to famed poet and songwriter Rod McKuen, whose songs have been recorded by a lot of famous people, including Frank Sinatra and Madonna. (Terry Jacks went to #1 with his version of McKuen's "Seasons in the Sun" in 1973.) You can stream the song "As I Love My Own" at the bottom of this post.

When you're done listening, feel free to let Freeman know what you think. He's given out his phone number ([609] 542-0751) and is encouraging people to leave him messages.

Joining Freeman tonight night will be Mitch Marcus, Joe Young, Brian Fishler, and Ween sideman Dave Dreiwitz who last night (5/8) backed Michael Moore (yes, that Michael Moore) at City Winery, and who plays the Levon Helm tribute at Brooklyn Bowl on June 4.

Details on how to win tickets to the 92Y show, Aaron's only upcoming date at the moment, and the song stream below...

Continue reading "Aaron Freeman (aka Gene Ween) released 'Marvelous Clouds' (call him & tell him what you think), playing 92YTribeca (win tix)"

Gene Ween (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

According to the video teaser you can watch and listen to below, Gene Ween (aka Aaron Freeman) is releasing his first solo album, entitled Marvelous Clouds, via Partisan Records on April 10th. Check it out....

Continue reading "Gene Ween releasing solo album, posts video teaser (watch)"

Ween at Central Park (more by Andrew St. Clair)

If you planned on spending Halloween with Deaner and Gener this year but didn't get tickets, sorry ladies & gentlemen but you are officially S.O.L.; Hammerstein is sold-out. Fortunately, you can still spend a night with Gene Ween on December 3rd, when Gene Ween and Dave Dreiwitz hit Brooklyn Bowl. Tickets are still on sale. They also play the New Hope Winery on 11/23.

If you're down in the dumps about the lack of "Poop Ship Destroyer" during the holidays, then make sure and also book a ticket to see them at their New Year's Eve show in Denver, or look for Gene & Aaron aboard the Weezer cruise. All tour dates are below.

Continue reading "Gene Ween & Dave Dreiwitz shows, like @ Brooklyn Bowl"

They're only really mentioning Dean, Gene (who will sing the National Anthem), Glenn McClelland (who will play organ) & Josh (who is not part of the reunited Kyuss), but I think that's enough reason to go to this Ween hometown charity event on Sunday (10/2). New Hope, PA is a beautiful place to visit anyway if you haven't been.

More Ween events, including Halloween at Hammerstein Ballroom, listed below...

Continue reading "Dean Ween hosting charity baseball game in New Hope Sunday w/ Josh Homme & more"

photos by Josh Darr

Flaming Lips @ Aragon Ballroom in Chicago on 7/7

Cruises are all the rage. There's Jam Cruise and Holy Ship!, and to a smaller extent Bruise Cruise, and now this January Weezer are launching the first ever Weezer Cruise. The cruise takes place over the course of 4 days (1/19-1/23) on the Carnival Destiny from Miami to the island of Cozumel, and features performances by a lineup curated by Weezer, who will also be performing themselves. The lineup is pretty heavy on members of the Dinosaur Jr. family including Dinosaur Jr. themselves, Sebadoh, J. Mascis, and Lou Barlow. Hey, they're all trapped on a boat together for four days, might as well mix up the formats. Other bands playing include Wavves, The Antlers, Yuck, and many others. Full lineup below.

As recently mentioned, Weezer and The Flaming Lips will set up "side-by-side" (sort of like "in the round") at their co-headlining shows happening at PNC Bank Arts Center in NJ (7/28) and at Jones Beach in NY (7/29). Both dates are with Yeasayer. Tickets for both are still on sale, and BrooklynVegan is giving away 2 pairs of Flaming Lips/Weezer tickets EVERY DAY between now and 7/26. Each day we'll award one pair of tickets to the NJ show, and one to the NY show. This will be the last time you see a post about it on the site though, but check our Facebook each day for an updated chance to win. Instructions on entering via email are below.

The Flaming Lips have also added more shows this summer, including a weird one: in Long Beach, Long Island on September 9. No more details on that at the moment. All dates are listed below along with a set of pictures from the 7/7 Lips show at Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.

The Flaming Lips, who released collaboration EPs this year with Neon Indian and Prefuse 73, are currently working on one with Lightning Bolt. According to Wayne Coyne's twitter, "Mixing the final master of Flaming Lips/Lightning Bolt tracks!!!!". Video below.

All tour dates, video, contest details, and full Weezer Cruise lineup below...

Continue reading "Weezer Cruise announced, more Flaming Lips dates & pics too +++ WIN TIX to Weezer/Flaming Lips (we're giving away 60!)"

Noncerts #1 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

After a successful first show in February co-headlined by Hamilton and Gene with the help of David Dondero, an all-star house band and performer/noncert-creator Dave Godowsky (ex-John Shade), charity concert series NONCERTS will return to Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn on April 29th, and the main lineup is: Elvis Perkins, Martha Wainwright, and Jesse Harris (who also has a bunch of collaborative shows scheduled at LPR).

Dave Godowsky will also again perform a couple songs and play in the house band which features an all-star line up of NYC musicians: Pico Alt, CJ Camerieri, Jesse Harris, Dave Godowsky, Clarice Jensen, Ben Lester, Eivind Opsvik, Caleb Burhans, Christina Courtin, and Doug Wieselman. The venue, Cameo Art Gallery, is hidden in the back of the Lovin' Cup Café at 93 North 6th Street in Williamsburg. As I've been told, "just follow the signs for the restrooms and you'll find it (not a joke)."

Tickets are $20 and on sale now. 100% of the proceeds go towards getting pianos in every Brooklyn public school. Check out some videos from last time, below...

Continue reading "Noncerts #2 lineup announcement (and videos of Gene Ween & Hamilton Leithauser from the first one)"

photos by Dominick Mastrangelo

"Gene Ween closed the night with a set that boasted numerous Ween songs as well as a cover of Fiddler on the Roof's "If I Were a Rich Man" that featured the house group's string section. In addition to the show's house band, Ween's set featured accompaniment from longtime Ween bassist Dave Dreiwitz." [jambands.com]

First of all, sorry for the delay in this post - I was originally waiting for some video (coming soon!), and then I just fell behind. Second of all, the first-ever edition of Noncerts back on February 20th was a magical night of music at Cameo in Brooklyn with special sets by Gene Ween, Hamilton Leithauser, David Dondero, and Dave Godowsky, not to mention the 10-piece rotating house band full of acclaimed musicians who have played with everyone from Jay-Z to Bon Iver to Yo-Yo Ma. Plus, all proceeds form the show are being given to music funding at public schools in Brooklyn.

Stay tuned for video and audio, and for the lineup of the next Noncert (date TBA), but for now check out the full setlist and more pictures from the first one, below...

Continue reading "Noncerts #1 pics & setlist (Gene Ween, Hamilton Leithauser, David Dondero, Dave Godowsky & more)"

"Noncerts is a charity-based concert series in Brooklyn, NY. The idea is to bring together some of the finest musicians in the area to back-up prominent songwriters, putting established artists in a unique musical environment while encouraging community and collaboration."

BrooklynVegan is proud to be on board as co-presenter of this new series conceived by Dave Godowsky who is also performing at the inaugural event on February 20th at Cameo Gallery alongside David Dondero, Gene Ween, and Hamilton Leithauser of the Walkmen! Those great men will be backed by an unbelievable house band comprised of Pico Alt, CJ Camerieri, Dave Godowsky, Jesse Harris, Marika Hughes, Lev "Ljova" Zhurbin, Ben Lester, Eivind Opsvik, Jenny Scheinman, and Doug Wieselman! It will be a special night, with all the money going to charity, and tickets are on sale now.

Stay tuned for more future Noncerts announcements. More Walkmen tour dates HERE.

Continue reading "introducing NONCERTS (tickets on sale now for Gene Ween & Hamilton Leithauser show at Cameo)"

Ween @ Summerstage 2010 (more by Andrew St. Clair)

Gene Ween will play a week's worth of solo acoustic shows over the course of about a month. He kicks things off tonight at the Bluebird Nightclub in Bloomington, Indiana, then hits Kentucky, and then after some time off plays a Brooklyn show at Knitting Factory on December 2nd with The Old Rugged Sauce (tickets). He also hits Mexicali Live in Jersey on December 16th. All Gene dates, and some new West Coast Ween ones too, below...

Continue reading "Gene Ween playing solo acoustic shows, Ween add dates too"

Like Julian Casablancas, Ween now have an upcoming show at Starland Ballroom in NJ. The May 20th date is 11 days before the New Hope band plays the Sasquatch Festival with Massive Attack, My Morning Jacket and others. Tickets for the Jersey show go on sale at noon. All dates below...

Continue reading "Ween playing NJ, Sasquatch & other 2010 tour dates"

Tickets are on sale for "An Evening with Gene Ween" at Highline Ballroom in NYC on January 29, 2010. It's one of two dates for the ween guitarist and singer. The other is January 16th at World Cafe Life in Philly.

Holy Fuck @ Lollapalooza 2008 (more by Bao Nguyen)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Emanuel & The Fear, Darla Farmer @ Mercury Lounge
* Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band @ IZOD Center
* United Nations, Acid Tiger, Gay For Johnny Depp @ The Delancey
* The Hundred in the Hands & Cruel Black Dove @ Littlefield
* The Jaguar Club, Spanish Prisoners, ECHOecho @ Union Hall
* QQQ, Howard Hughes and The Fisherman Three @ Pete's Candy Store
* Allen Toussaint's The Bright Mississippi Band @ Village Vanguard
* Holy Fuck, A Place to Bury Strangers, Crocodiles @ Bowery Ballroom
* Turbo Fruits, Confusers, Jeff: The Brotherhood, Siberians @ Bruar Falls
* Down & Derby Roller Disco Party w/ $mall Change, DJ Ayers, Rok One @ Studio B
* The So So Glos, Double Dagger, Screaming Females, Air Waves, Videohippos @ Market Hotel
* Fan-Tan, The Kingsbury Manx, Mad Scene, Americans In France, Stephen Steinbrink, Hell-Kite @ Cake Shop

The Sasquatch Festival is this weekend in Washington.

The So So Glos present the show at Shea Stadium on Sunday.

Videos from the Thursday night Gene Ween Band show at PS 29 in Brooklyn, below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday?"

Gene Ween Band is on the lineup for this year's Mountain Jam, the three-day, jam band-friendly festival taking place in Hunter Mountain on May 29th, 30th and 31st. The Hold Steady, Girl Talk, Rhett Miller, Gomez and many others are also on the bill. You can see the full schedule HERE, and the full lineup below.

Even sooner, Gene Ween Band have a show scheduled right here in Brooklyn at PS 29 (425 Henry Street). The "Benefit for the Arts" takes place on Thursday, May 21st (6:30-9:00 PM), and tickets are on sale (thx Dan). All dates below...

Continue reading "Gene Ween Band playing benefit in Brooklyn & Mountain Jam "

Gene Ween is doing better and they've rescheduled those cancelled dates. Tickets go on sale Thursday at noon for a February 7th show at Music Hall of Williamsburg, and tickets are on sale now for the show happening February 26th at Highline Ballroom.. All dates below...

Continue reading "Gene Ween Band - rescheduled 2009 Tour Dates"

gene ween @ recher - Dec 11, 2008 (rocknrowland)

Hi Everyone....I want to thank everyone for the well wishes, I'm recovering well from this pneumonia that I believe I'd been "walking around" with before it manifested itself fully a day after the last GWB show in Asbury Park. I spent four days in the hospital which, for those who know, is close to hell on earth but with good doctors, nurses and the care of my Jewish Mother for the last few days, I'll be fine. This GWB experience was so fucking great and I do plan to make up the shows with more to come. Thanks for all the well wishes and I wish you all the best wish for the wishes at this special time of the year. Love, GW

Gene Ween @ McCarren Pool (more by Zach Dilgard)

The Gene Ween Band (Dave Dreiwitz, Scott Metzger, Joe Russo) will be touring in December.

Tickets are on sale for a December 18th show at Highline Ballroom in NYC. Tickets go on sale Wednesday for the show happening one day earlier at Music Hall of Williamsburg. All dates and more ticket info below...

Continue reading "Gene Ween Band - December 2008 Tour Dates"