That promised tour is being announced like right now and instantly on sale. NYC show is March 20th @ Hammerstein Ballroom: ON SALE NOW (for what is a BOWERY PRESENTS show at Hammerstein Ballroom?!?). More dates in the poster above. All ticket links HERE Dates listed below are all on Ticketmaster.

Continue reading "Odd Future tour announced & on sale"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

To avoid any more Portishead overload after posting about both ATP shows and the first night at Hammerstein Ballroom (and the Chicago show), we never put up the pictures from Portishead's 2nd NYC show at Hammerstein (the 10/5 one). But in honor of Portishead tour opener returning to NYC to play Death By Audio TONIGHT (11/1), here they finally are. They continue below...

Continue reading "pics from Portishead's 2nd show @ Hammerstein Ballroom w/ Thought Forms (who play DBA TONIGHT)"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin, words by BBG

Weeze & Matt & Kim @ Deluna Fest

Do you think Matt & Kim ever get depressed? Like down-in-the-dumps, face-on-the-bathroom-tile, razor-to-the-wrist bummed? And do you think any of that anger is channeled into their music in ways not visibly noticed? Is that perma-simpleton-smile actually a front for an aryan-supremacy agenda spelled out in morse code via the band's shiny light show? Head to a New Year's Eve celebration at Hammerstein Ballroom with Super Mash Brothers to do some investigation and report back if you come across some leads. Tickets are on sale. All of their dates are listed below.

Matt & Kim was one of many artists to perform in Florida at Deluna Fest from 10/14 - 10/16, joining names like Ra Ra Riot, Stars, Ladytron, Girl Talk, Weezer, Cake and others. Belated pictures from the first day of that festival that Jane's Addiction also played, are in this post. Many more below.

Ra Ra Riot has been touring since Deluna. They don't have anything scheduled in NYC, but they will be on the road for a while and all of their dates are also listed below...

Continue reading "Deluna Fest Day 1 pics w/ Weezer, Ladytron & many more, a Matt & Kim New Year's Eve show, Ra Ra Riot tour dates"

photos by Erez Avissar

"Seriously that was one off the bucket list right there." - Ben Ha-Meen

"portishead stands as the best show ive ever seen " - bryce segall

"Best show I've been to in a very long time." - Chris Denman

"Oh man, Portishead was freaking ridiculous tonight. Holy shit. That is some baby making, ecstacy popping shit right there." - Notorious K.I.M.

"Portishead was a religious experience #portishead" - Chelse D

"Portishead killed me. I cried like an idiot. An unforgettable performance..." - Marine

"On our last tour it collapsed because of personal things, not between the band, but relationships, divorces," Geoff Barrow told BBC 6 Music news.

"We hadn't stopped since [debut album] Dummy," he said, "but it's fine now."

However, producer and instrumentalist Barrow admitted the band's complex, claustrophobic sound often proved a headache to recreate live.

"We have to take out lots of old gear and it's like a jigsaw puzzle, trying to get the right sound," he said.

"It's not like we are pushing 'go' on a computer and singing along to it. It's something a bit more interesting than just straight up rock bands or dance acts."

Portishead achieved overnight success with Dummy, which won the Mercury Music Prize in 1995 with its eerie electronic soundscapes, haunted by Beth Gibbons tremulous vocals.

They followed it up with a grainier, self-titled album in 1997, featuring the top 10 hit All Mine - later covered by Tom Jones.

But the band appeared to split up in the wake of their 1998 US tour, releasing several side projects and producing music for other bands.

However, after making a return to the Portishead name in 2008, they recently confirmed they would start work on a fourth album in January 2012.[BBC]

After two shows at ATP in Asbury Park, Portishead finally made their official return to NYC at Hammerstein Ballroom last night (10/4). Here are some pictures from the amazing show which was their first of two in Manhattan.

The setlists so far have varied by like one song each night. Their 90-minute, 15-song Hammerstein performance began at 9:30pm after a set by their tour-mate Thought Forms. They do it again tonight which is also when they appear on Fallon. Here are some pictures from the first night.

More pictures and the setlist from last night below...

Continue reading "Portishead @ Hammerstein Ballroom (night 1 pics & setlist)"

photos by Toby Tenenbaum

"Band of Horses tonight was sick! I just wish Hammerstein had better sound, mics were too low. Songs were beautiful though!!" - Steph P

"Band of Horses killing it at Hammerstein" - Michel

After Kings of Leon cancelled their tour, openers Band of Horses added a few of their own headlining club dates. Those dates included a Hammerstein Ballroom show on August 10 with J Mascis. J played an opening set of stuff off his recently released Several Shades of Why and was joined by Band of Horses frontman Ben Bridwell for a song. Band of Horses played an even mix of songs off all three of their albums and a new song called apparently called "Bats." They ended their pre-encore set with crowd favorite "The Funeral" and returned for a 5-song encore that included a few more original cuts and two covers: The New Year's "The End's Not Near" and Them Two's "Am I A Good Man."

More pictures, the setlist and a video from the show below...

Continue reading "Band of Horses & J Mascis played Hammerstein Ballroom (pics & setlist)"

Ween at Summerstage in 2010 (more by Andrew St. Clair)

Weirdo alt-rockers Ween have a few upcoming shows including Lollapalooza and Weezer Cruise (Gene Ween w/ Dave Dreiwitz). They just announced that they'll play Halloween (10/31) at Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC and it'll be an "evening with Ween" (no openers). Tickets are on PRESALE NOW. Tickets go on general sale via Ticketmaster on Friday (7/29) at 10 AM.

All dates, December 29-31 at The Fillmore in Denver included, below...

Continue reading "Ween playing Halloween @ Hammerstein Ballroom, New Year's Eve in Colorado & other dates"

Portishead @ Coachella 2008 (more by Ryan Muir)

The number of bands playing NYC before or after ATP NJ in Asbury Park is multiplying. We've recently mentioned that Shellac play The Bell House and that Anika, whose album was produced by Geoff Barrow of Portishead, plays LPR (it will be her first US live show).

It's now been announced that Portishead, who co-curated and headline the NJ festival, as promised, will follow ATP with a North American tour that kicks off on October 4 and 5 at Hammerstein Ballroom!!! Tickets for all dates are on presale now! Tickets "go on sale to the general public July 15th and 16th, with the exception of Chicago, on sale date July 22nd."

According to Adrian Utley, "We've always thought that we must come back to tour in the states, something we wanted to do with the release of Third, but our schedule just wouldn't allow it. Being that we were asked to curate I'll be your Mirror, this just seemed like a good start to touring the states - it set's it off in absolutely the right way. We are absolutely delighted to come back."

Portishead last visited North America to play Coachella in 2008, but never came east. Geoff Barrow's band BEAK> did play here in 2010 though, also around an ATP appearance.

Though it's hard to want a show to be at Roseland or Hammerstein, it's too bad they didn't choose Roseland for old time's sake. All new dates will be opened by Thought Forms (who opened for Portishead in Utrecht on 6/15).

All tour dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Portishead announce North American tour, two nights at Hammerstein Ballroom included!! (dates)"

photos by Chris La Putt

"New York City was feeling the love! We've earned it and have certainly much to celebrate - but no one could have expected the party that Kylie Minogue was preparing to unleash on the Big Apple when her Aphrodite Live Tour touched down on North America - the show officially arrived in Boston over the weekend, then DC, before 3 unprecedented nights at the Hammerstein Ballroom in the heart of Manhattan. The Goddess of Love radiates in a two-hour extravaganza unlike anything the pop icon has ever attempted before. Kylie Minogue has out-shined herself...if that's possible! This time the Impossible Princess comes close!

Minogue's shows have always been elaborate dance and fashion spectaculars but she has never attempted something having this dimension before. This show is bigger than her last visit to the States, a much tighter production with amazing aesthetic, and a non-stop dance escapade with death defying aerialists and a winged horse...and this is a scaled down version of the arena show the rest of the world gets to see! Celebrating the success of her latest album, last fall's Aphrodite, the stage venture takes its lead from the overall tone set by that release - co-produced by Stuart Price the album is a wildly futuristic foray into modern, electro rhythms & beats which Kylie has always mastered. Minogue has proven herself again and again a master minstrel of dance music.

Her song list on the tour features tracks from Aphrodite appropriately enough, and opens with the title track, since the mythological theme of the show situates Minogue as the embodiment of muses of myths and legends. Amidst the ruins of a Greek pantheon Kylie opens the show surrounded by her gorgeously assembled court singing "The One" before a rousing battle in the arena set to "Wow". Seamlessly transported by a powerful pegasus, the next act features "Illusion" and "I Believe In You." [edge]

That's one excited fan's take on last night's musical spectacular at Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC where Kylie does it again tonight (5/3) and tomorrow before moving on. More pictures (from the first part of the show) and the full setlist from last night (5/2), below...

Continue reading "Kylie Minogue returned to Hammerstein Ballroom (pics,setlist)"

"As announced last week pop-superstar Kylie Minogue is hitting the road again with her brand new world tour and due to high demand for tickets she is already adding dates! A third show has just been added in NYC and advance tickets go on sale today. Originally scheduled to play two shows at the Manhattan Center's Hammerstein Ballroom on May 2nd and 3rd, Kylie's Aphrodite Live 2011 will now play three nights at the famed venue May 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Pre-sale tickets for the new date go on sale today for American Express card holders and Kylie fanclub members with general on sale beginning January 22nd." -PR

Updated tour dates below...

Continue reading "Kylie Minogue adds 3rd NYC show -- updated tour dates"

by BBG

Cam, Jimmy, and Julez of Dipset at Hammerstein (via)

[For] ...the Diplomats -- Cam'ron, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, Freekey Zekey -- ...this was the reunion show [for a crew]... torn asunder a few years ago by petty animus and financial accusations back and forth, survivors of arrests and family struggles, but now brought back together for another chance at harmony, if not quite world domination.

For the last decade, the Diplomats have been synonymous with Harlem -- even if some of its members have moved elsewhere. In an era in which New York is decreasingly central to hip-hop's landscape, as a group and as solo acts they have been regionalist holdouts, sticking close to the stylistically flamboyant street rap pioneered by Cam'ron and tweaked by the rest.

At almost three hours this rapturously received concert, sponsored by the hip-hop radio station Hot 97 (WQHT-FM), was a tribute to the persistent power of geographic mythology. Every summer Hot 97 hosts the giant Summer Jam concert, in which the Diplomats, local heroes infiltrating what is effectively a national stage, tend to get short shrift. This raucous night was the group's own Summer Jam, full of hits and obscurities and split into five parts: first, an opening group set; then three solo sets, by Jim Jones, then Juelz Santana, then Cam'ron; then everyone reunited to close the show. -[New York Times]

Yes, the New York Times was in attendance when The Diplomats staged their triumphant reunion at Hammerstein Ballroom on Friday, 11/26, the day after Thanksgiving. In addition to the core quartet of Jones, Santana, Zekey, and Killa Cam, Hammerstein's stage was blessed by the requisite surprise appearances from Dipset crew members Hell Rell, 40 Cal, and JR Writer in addition to an appearance from Black Rob (he of "Whoa" fame, who also appeared at the Duck Down Anniversary). The Dipset crew reportedly covered upwards of 50 songs over the evening (snippet or otherwise).

If you missed Juelz at Hammerstein on 11/26, maybe you caught him at Hammerstein.... on 11/25. Santana made a surprise appearance at the Fabolous/Nicki Minaj show alongside another not-so-surprise performer, Kanye West who "played" the Thanksgiving Parade earlier that day and a show with the help pf Nicki at Bowery Ballroom a few days earlier. Santana appeared with Fab for "Beamer, Benz, or Bentley" while West again appeared with Minaj for "Monster" from his new album.

Videos from both Hammerstein shows below...

Continue reading "Dipset reunited at Hammerstein Ballroom (one night after Juelz & Kanye played w/ Nicki Minaj at the NYC venue)"

photos by Vincent Cornelli, sarcasm by BBG

Washington Post: You've said that before you made a solo album, you felt as if you'd been in a cocoon. Did making the album give you more confidence?

Jonsi: For me, you mean? No. Maybe, yeah.

Do you think it will affect how you make albums with Sigur Ros?

Maybe. It was a good experience to do this, working with a lot of new artists and musicians and producers. It's healthy to work with different people.

Do you think you'll work with Nico Muhly again? You should say yes.

Yes. He's a fun guy to be around, anyway. So we definitely might do something together.

You've said you grew up listening to Metallica. For real?

Yeah, Metallica and Megadeth and stuff like that. But now I just listen to Billie Holiday and Django Reinhardt and stuff like that....It's nice to have in the background, like a comfy sofa.

Shock. A talented and versatile artist listens to a wide array of bands! ANYWAY, Jonsi played Hammerstein Ballroom last night (11/10), his final US date of a massive two part tour that also brought him to Terminal 5 in May over two nights (pictures of the second show). The final round also included a stop at Jimmy Fallon for a performance of "Sticks & Stones", which also aired last night.

Mountain Man opened the show, but we have no pictures of them unfortunatley. More of Jonsi, some video, and that Fallon appearance video are all below...

Continue reading "Jonsi played Hammerstein Ballroom & Fallon (pics & video) "

photos by Greg Cristman, words by BBG

Neil Fallon of Clutch

Craveonline: Not to get overly personal right off, but will your new baby put a kabosh on how much touring Clutch does?

Neil Fallon of Clutch: We hadn't planned any touring regardless, baby or not. We've pulled back on our touring just because the older you get; it becomes a drag to just go on touring forever and ever. This two-month tour we're about do [with Black Label Society & Children Of Bodom] is about as long of a tour as we're willing to do... We'd actually only like to tour four weeks at a time. This one is an exception to the rule because it's a support slot and you can't really pick and choose how long you're gonna play. We also knew that after this one we were really going to focus on writing the next record so they're wouldn't be a lot of touring.

Clutch churns out new LPs on the regular, so look for that LP. In the meantime, check them on the above-mentioned tour which hit Hammerstein Ballroom on 10/20. The CMJ show was one of a scant few metal events during the festival, and the largest of the bunch (with Nevermore at Gramercy coming in second).

The sold-out BV-BBG Saturday night showcase at Union Pool was also one of those events. Pictures from that show are forthcoming, but more from Clutch and the rest of the gang at Hammerstein (some setlists included), with all remaining dates, below...

Continue reading "Clutch played Hammerstein Ballroom w/ Black Label Society & Children of Bodom (pics & setlists) "

photos by Chris La Putt

"And it worked. Over the last 10 years, Goldfrapp has built up quite a cult. The [DC show at 9:30 Club] was sold out and a few devout fans even showed up wearing blonde wigs. Over an hour and a half set Goldfrapp changed costumes--musical and otherwise--a few times, putting a digital spin on pretty much every genre that has ever aspired to fabulousness--including glam-rock, disco, and a few Bond-theme-worthy ballads. It was a familiar sound with a futuristic finish."
[Washington Post]

Speaking of cults, Cults are on tour with Goldfrapp and they opened last night's show at Hammerstein Ballroom (6/23). More pictures, and the setlist, from the NYC show, below...

Continue reading "Goldfrapp & Cults @ Hammerstein Ballroom - pics & setlist"

photos by Tim Griffin

Passion Pit / Phoenix

Phoenix and Passion Pit shared a NYC concert bill for the third time this year last night at Hammerstein Ballroom (12/2). The WRXP-sponsored holiday show also included sets by Jack's Mannequin and Manchester Orchestra, as well as hosting by the radio station's morning host Matt Pinfield.

It was a big night for Phoenix who were nominated for a Grammy in the "Best Alternative Album" category on the same evening.

Best Alternative Album nominess
David Byrne & Brian Eno, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
Death Cab For Cutie, The Open Door
Depeche Mode, Sounds Of The Universe
Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, It's Blitz!

For Passion Pit, it was their 2nd recent show in one of the big NYC venues. They played the Woodies at Roseland last month. They complete the trifecta when they hit Terminal 5 (for three nights in a row) in January.

For Phoenix and WRXP, it was their first of two NYC shows this week. More pictures with setlists, below...

Continue reading "Phoenix & Passion Pit played Hammerstein Ballroom w/ Jack's Mannequin & Manchester Orchestra - pics & setlists"

photos by Tim Griffin

the "Chien Andalou" film started at 9, band started 9:07, done by 10:30. if you're driving in, note that some streets near venue seem closed for upcoming Macy's Thanksgiving Parade" [Anonymous]

The Pixies played their first of four NYC shows in a row on Monday night at an extremely packed Hammerstein Ballroom (11/23). The mostly-predictable setlist started out with four Doolittle b-sides followed all of Doolittle which was followed by two encores that ended with two of their biggest hits back to back (Where is My Mind into Gigantic).

"the mood was really friendly (Kim kept cracking jokes like "we're halfway through side one" and Frank cracked up at the "God is 7" line) but the big surprise was they had more of Joey Santiago's guitar sound than the slick studio versions, so it was revelatory to hear how raw and loud these songs could get." [Anonymous]

The screens on the back of the stage provided visuals, and most of the movement - you don't go to see the Pixies for a crazy stage show. You go because you love the songs that they wrote (and because you can afford it), and the band do a pretty decent job at it. Like in 2004 at the same venue when they first reunited, I definitely felt a disconnect from the performers, but that's also because of the large venue size.

Black Gold opened the show (instead of Bad Lieutenant). Tuesday night Jay Reatard gets that honor. On Wednesday (at the early show) it's Rain Machine. No opener at the late and final show that same night.

Pixies will also appear on the Jimmy Fallon show on Tuesday night (11/24).

The Hammerstein setlist and the rest of the pictures, below....

Continue reading "Pixies @ Hammerstein Ballroom 2009 (night 1) - pics, setlist"

Phoenix @ The Apple Store in September (more by Ryan Muir)

Phoenix and Passion Pit played two big NYC shows together in September. Phoenix also played their own shows at Terminal 5 that same month (a benefit), and a few months before that (which they accompanied with a smaller show at MHOW). Meanwhile, Passion Pit, who played two shows at Bowery in June, now have THREE headlining shows of their own coming up at Terminal 5 in January.

It seems unreasonable to believe at this point that Phoenix and Passion Pit would be teaming up for yet another NYC show that will happen before 2010 even gets here, but it's true! They are two bands on a four band bill that also includes Jack's Mannequin and Manchester Orchestra at Hammerstein Ballroom on December 2nd. Tickets for Matt Pinfield's Holiday Extravaganza go on sale Friday at 10am with a Live Nation presale starting Wednesday at the same time (password = 1019RXP).

After NYC, Phoenix will head up to Canada for a few shows. All dates below...

Continue reading "Phoenix & Passion Pit playing RXP show @ Hammerstein w/ Jack's Mannequin & Manchester Orchestra"

words by BBG, photos by Paul Birman

Jacob Bannon of Converge speaks softly

Gene Simmons is fond of saying some bands get it and some don't.

Dethklok, the death metal band based on the popular Adult Swim "Metalocalypse" cartoon, definitely gets it.

At Tuesday's stunning show at a packed-to-the-rafters House of Blues - the first of a two-night stand - Dethlok ringmaster Brendon Small and his metal compatriots played in the darkness, the better to provide the frantic soundtrack to the videos of the cartoon band that were shown on a screen behind them.

It was a mesmerizing and intense audio/visual experience that simultaneously celebrated and poked fun at the genre. How else do you explain fret-snapping songs with such titles as "Burn the Earth" and "Birthday Dethday"?

...Mastodon preceded Dethklok with mind-bending videos of its own. The Atlanta band performed its acclaimed new album "Crack the Skye" in its entirety. A mix of psychedelic [, satanic] and interstellar imagery splashed across the video screen as the band tore through space-metal opuses "Oblivion" and "Divinations." ...

The bill also included influential Boston hardcore group Converge, which got the night's first circle pit going with the scathing "The Broken Vow" from 2001's "Jane Doe." Inevitably, crowd surfing ensued. Vocalist Jacob Bannon even tossed his microphone to fans at one point for a good, old-fashioned hardcore gang chant. -[Boston Herald]

The review comes from the 10/27 Boston date of the Mastodon, Dethklok, Converge, and High On Fire tour. The four bands played Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC two days later (10/29), and then again at Hammerstein the night after that (10/30). More pictures from that last NYC show, below...

Continue reading "Dethklok, High On Fire, Converge & Mastodon @ Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC (night 2) - pics "

photos by Chris La Putt

Brooklyn duo Matt and Kim, dressed as Andy Warhol and his It Girl Edie Sedgewick, took the stage to Fat Joe shouting "Where Brooklyn At?" over the sinister beat of his hit "Lean Back", while they threw out candy to the crowd before beginning a fun-filled set that included their infectious smash hit "Daylight" and short nods to Europe's "Final Countdown" and Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll Part Two."

As for Weezer, they were dressed in various insect costumes, which vocalist Rivers Cuomo had audience members remove for himself his fellow band members while they continued to play "Undone (The Sweater Song)" early on in the set. The sold out house danced along to all the bouncy music Weezer had to offer (literally bouncy, as the band had a trampoline set up on stage), including hits such as "Perfect Situation", "Island in the Sun", "Surf Wax America", "Buddy Holly", "Pork and Beans", "Dope Nose", and new ones "I Can't Stop Partying", and "I'm Your Daddy." They also played an absolutely awesome cover of MGMT's "Kids", which took a detour to Lady GaGa's massive hit "Poker Face" in the middle. But as usual, it was "My Name is Jonas" that brought the house down.

The biggest surprise of the night, other than the cool cover, was an appearance by Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester. The TV star came out in nude pants splashed with random bursts of color and a 60's style beehive to sing a duet with vocalist Rivers Cuomo on "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To." She sang very well, and later Tweeted that Rivers was "perfection in a bottle." [Examiner]

Weezer maybe had the bug costumes left over from a taping for on an upcoming episode of Yo Gabba Gabba!. More pictures from their Saturday night Halloween show at Hammerstein Ballrooom, including many crowd members in costume, below...

Continue reading "Weezer, Matt & Kim, Leighton Meester & PT Walkley on Halloween @ Hammerstein Ballroom - pics "

words by BBG, photos by Ryan Muir

Matt Pike of High On Fire

Mastodon, Dethklok, Converge and High On Fire are on tour. Last night (10/29) they played the first show of two night stint at Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC. The second is tonight (10/30). It is sold out.

High on Fire were on stage early, REAL early. 6:30, actually. It didnt matter one iota though, because the band barreled through their set, including a new song from their upcoming, unnamed LP. As expected, the new joint smoked, much like "Waste of Tiamat", "Fury Whip", "Rumors of War", and many others from their mostly Death Is This Communion set. The band played the very large room with the same power I've seen them bring to small clubs and basements. Hammerstein must have been 3/4 or more full by the time they finished the set, and I had a sense that the masses felt the same energy.

Converge followed to a mostly apathetic crowd. It was a shame, as Converge were absolutely amazing, and with more energy than I had ever seen from them; it was almost as if they were fueled by negative vibes. Jacob Bannon spent a good portion of the set thanking the crowd for watching them, spending the rest of the set spazzing out to killer tracks like "Eagles Become Vultures", "Concubine", "Effigy", and new faves like "Dark Horse" from Axe To Fall. Bannon must have been quite a handful as a little tot; the tattoed vocalist zipped back and forth across the stage for almost the entirety of their set.

Unfortunately, I skeedaddled shortly after Converge, so I missed both Mastodon and the headliner Dethklok's visual-heavy sets, but pictures (NSFW?) from all four bands (and Dethklok's setlist) are below....

Continue reading "Mastodon, High On Fire, Converge & Dethklok @ Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC (night 1) - pics "

Bernard Sumner told Rolling Stone that his band Bad Lieutentant would be opening for the Pixies at Hammerstein Ballroom this year. That is true, but they're only opening the first one. Those with tickets to that sold out November 23rd show win the opener contest...

Pixies @ Hammerstein Ballroom
Nov 23 w/ Bad Lieutenant
Nov 24 w/ Jay Reatard
Nov 25 w/ Rain Machine
Nov 25 (late show) w/ no opener?

Tickets are still available to the last show (too bad they're over $60 each). Tickets are also still on sale to the Bad Lieutenant show happening at Webster Hall on November 21st (which is three days after they play Park West in Chicago).

Rain Machine is currently on tour and will play a CMJ show at Bowery Ballroom.

Jay Reatard is currently looking for a new band.

photos by Chris La Putt

"Hammerstein Ballroom is as packed as I've ever seen it... granted, only my third concert there to date. No opening act, light go down, Kylie descends from the rafters on a giant golden skull to "Light Years." She addresses the audience, "Please! Fasten your seatbelts. My name, is KYLIE. I will be your pursor." Yes, straight from her Showgirl tour, but a dazzling entrance as to be expected from Kylie.

Wrapping up her first North American tour in New York (the first of three shows at Hammerstein), Kylie covered much of her 20 year-long repertoire... "It's In Your Eyes," from Fever, "I Believe in You," from Ultimate Kylie, "Slow," from Body Language, and new songs from X, including "Wow" and "The One." She covered a lot of her old stuff including "Shocked," "Spinning Around," and "What Do I Have To Do," in a medley straight from the Showgirl Tour, as well as "Better The Devil You Know," and a sexy, sultry take on her classic, "The Locomotion."

All in all, a strong effort by Ms. Minogue, but I wish it was really tailored for her U.S. audience. It was a re-hash of her past tours with little unique twists for her U.S. debut. Still, I'm a fan, and she was fabulous. She commanded the room and left everyone wishing for more. " [Brian Burgess]

You have two more chances to catch Kylie at Hammerstein Ballroom (tonight and Tuesday). More pictures from last night (Sunday), below...

Continue reading "Kylie Minogue @ Hammerstein Ballroom (night 1) -pics, video "

One of the four Pavement shows (the Thursday night) is on sale at the moment.

I don't know if the other three are completely sold out yet, but TICKETS for the fourth Pixies show at Hammerstein Ballroom (a 1am show) are on sale (@ 10am).

Goodie Mob (Big Gipp, Khujo, T-Mo, and Cee-Lo of recent Gnarls Barkley fame) recently reunited and are playing a headlining show at Hammerstein Ballroom on November 13th. Scarface, TECH N9NE and Slaughterhouse are also on the bill. Tickets are on sale.

Other upcoming shows at Hammerstein Ballroom that are on sale or going on sale soon include the Dalai Lama, 311, Kylie Minogue, Mastodon, Red Bull BC One (breakdancing), Echo and the Bunnymen, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Rob Zombie, and Further (members of the Grateful Dead).

Continue reading "Pixies, Pavement, Goodie Mob & other tickets "

"Free Fallin" @ MHOW - Sept 20, 2009

"I was on a stage with a mess of other musicians. Bright lights were shining all around. I was standing in the center in front of the drum riser at The Williamsburg Music Hall in Brooklyn. Between me and upturned faces of the audience was a wall of people. Some were old friends and some were new friends. Directly in front of me was Mark Mulcahy, to my right on the far side of the stage was Lesa Bezo with Philip and Flora from the Winterpills and Naomi Hamby from Spouse. They were circled around a microphone singing through smiles. Behind them was Jason Bourgeois in front of a Nord Keyboard, next to him was Ray Neal from Miracle Legion with a guitar, on my left was Dan Greene of Butterflies of Love and Kevin O'Rourke of Lo Fine and Jose Ayerve of Spouse. Next to Mark was Pat Sansone of Autumn Defense and Wilco. Strewn all around me were members of Gravel Pitt, David Berkeley, Chris Harford, BP Helium, The Parkway Charlies, Senator, Spouse, Lofine, The Mericans, Jeff Ginsburg, Biet and Gryphon, The Autumn Defense, Winterpills, Butterflies of Love, and The Gravel Pit. Directly behind me was the smiling face of Brian at the drums. He was surrounded by people shaking and banging on whatever they could find. Sitting on the drum riser behind him with a guitar was Frank Black and we were all singing, "I'm freeeee. Free fallin'!"

What the?....

It was the finale of a long, night of music. It was an "all-star" jam, folks. The only things missing were Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, and Paul Shaffer.

The day before, I spoke to Mark on the phone and he asked me if Brian and I could be in charge of the encore finale thing. "What song?" I asked. "Free Fallin'" He replied. Then we laughed.

The event was called Ciao My Shining Star and was a concert in memorial of Melissa Mulcahy and in tribute to Mark Mulcahy's music. Over seventeen acts were lined up to perform in a three and a half hour show. Everyone got about ten minutes. It was remarkably organized and on time. This was due in large part to the tireless effort put in by Richard Murray and Myles Mangino and also to the camaraderie of all those involved..." [Henning]

That's part of a review by one of the musicians involved in the September 20th benefit show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. It's the same show that the new Thom Yorke video debuted at, and as henning points out, included Frank Blank of the reunited-again Pixies. Videos from from that are below, and a similar show will happen at Toad's Place in CT on November 13th.

Pixies have added a fourth LATE NYC show at Hammerstein Ballroom to their November touring itinerary. The new date, Thanksgiving - November 26th @ 1:00am (actually a 2nd, later show Wednesday night?), goes on sale Friday @ 10am.

Continue reading "Pixies add 4th NYC show at Hammerstein Ballroom ++ Frank Black & many others played Mulcahy tribute show @ MHOW"

Weezer + Matt & Kim + Halloween + Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC. It's the "MetroPCS Masquerade", and NYC's PT Walkley is also on the all ages bill. Tickets just went on "Live Nation" (password = hollywood) and "Radio" presale (password = 1019RXP) with a general sale starting Thursday at 10am (thx Hiro!)

R.I.P. "Fifth Bunnyman"

A former keyboard player with Echo and the Bunnymen has been killed in a motorbike crash on the Isle of Man.

Jake Brockman, who was 53 and married, lived in Bristol. He died when his bike was in collision with a converted ambulance near Kirk Michael on Tuesday [Sept. 1st].

Known to fans as the "Fifth Bunnyman", he had been associated with the Liverpool band since its 80s heyday and became a full-time member in 1989.

In 1989 the band's first drummer Pete De Freitas died in a similar crash. [BBC News]

Brockman (RIP) wasn't part of the band's touring lineup (which just played All Points West on August 2nd), but his playing will be represented on their forthcoming album, The Fountain, which is set to come out October 12th on Warner Bros. Tracks from that are currently streaming on the band's MySpace.

Echo and The Bunnymen are going on tour in support of that album this fall. Its North American leg happens in November and includes a show at NYC's Hammerstein Ballroom on November 22nd. Tickets go on Live Nation presale Wednesday, September 9th at 10am. General sale starts Saturday, September 12th at 10am.

Opening the show will be Hatcham Social, a band that's been described on this site as "direct musical descendants of Orange Juice, Echo & the Bunnymen or, more recently, Clearlake: scratchy but melodic, with an occasional flair for the melodramatic, and very, very British." They were scheduled to play NYC-area shows in September opening for Charlatans UK, who were forced to cancel their tour because of injury.

All Echo & The Bunnymen tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Jake Brockman dies in bike crash (RIP), Echo & the Bunnymen announce new album & 2009 tour dates (Hammerstein)"