photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

The Psychedelic Furs news reminded me that we still need to post the pictures from the second day of this year's inaugural Escape To NY Festival in Southampton that took place August 5th and 6th, but not 7th. Furs pics HERE. The rest of Saturday, Au Revoir Simone, White Rabbits, Submarines & Vaccines included, is below...

Continue reading "the rest of the Escape to NY Day 2 pics"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

Patti Smith @ Escape to NY

Patti Smith is playing a free show at Webster Hall on September 8 in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of 9/11. France Inter, the French National Public Radio Channel, is hosting the free event. Email concertbooking@radiofrance.com to RSVP (required). The show is at 8 PM. Check Webster Hall's website for more details.

Patti headlined the first night of the three-turned-two day festival Escape to NY in the Hamptons on Friday. A full set of pictures from the shortened weekend is coming soon, but here are the shots of Patti and band who also recently played a NY show at Castle Clinton.. They continue below...

Continue reading "Patti Smith played E2NY (pics), playing free show to commemorate 9/11 @ Webster Hall "

As you know, Escape to New York had to cancel the third day of their inaugural festival on Sunday. Here is the official statement:

Continue reading "Escape to NY plans to return in 2012 (via official statement about Sunday's cancellation)"

Escape to NY Sunday (pic via thinkmgazine)

Yesterday it was officially announced that next weekend's East Hampton MTK music fetival was cancelled, AND THAT tickets would be honored at this weekend's Southampton music festival Escape to NY which wasn't exactly packing them in, especially on Friday. Well, so much for that plan. Escape to NY has just officially cancelled today, alledgedly due to all the rain that soaked the grounds last night and the rain that's still coming too. The cancellation came after a long delayed opening that had people sitting in the parking lot waiting to finally hear the news. Of Montreal was among the bands set to perform at the fest tonight.

Dana (Distortion) Yavin was onsite all weekend taking pictures for BrooklynVegan and is on her way home as we speak with shots from day one and day two. Stay tuned.

P.S. Q-Tip has also cancelled his Brooklyn Bowl DJ gig tonight, but will be replaced by Reptar and a DJ set by Talib Kweli.

"So sad to hear that MTK Music Festival is cancelled. We would like to invite all disappointed MTK ticket holders to join us this weekend for some great music and festival fun! We will be honoring all MTK tickets at our festival today and tomorrow!" [Escape To New York]

The MTK: Music To Know Festival planned for Saturday - Sunday, August 13 - 14, in East Hampton, New York, is cancelled. A statement is as follows:

"It is with heavy, heavy heart that we regret to inform you that the inaugural MTK: Music To Know Festival in East Hampton will not take place. Despite our unique vision and arranging a world-class line-up, ticket sales were not adequate to allow the event to continue. We wanted to let everyone know now before engaging more deeply.

Along with our ticket holders, vendors, sponsors, business associates, colleagues and friends in the community, we too are filled with deep disappointment. We pledge to endure during this difficult time with the same integrity and professionalism displayed throughout the creation of this event.

Ticket holders should check www.musictoknow.com next week for more information.

Strangely Escape to NY, the other new Hamptons music festival, is going on as planned as we speak. Patti Smith and Best Coast played it last night.

The MTK Fest's lineup included Vampire Weekend, Chromeo, Dawes, Bright Eyes, M Ward, Ra Ra Riot, Fitz and the Tantrums, Matt and Kim and more.

Truck America, another NY Festival, was cancelled last week (though no official announcement has been made about that yet).

As mentioned, Music to Know Fest makes its debut in East Hampton, NY over the weekend of August 13-14, and features artists such as Vampire Weekend, Bright Eyes, Matt & Kim, Ra Ra Riot, Dawes, and others. Set times have been announced for the festival, which you can check out below.

MTK, not to be confused with Escape to NY, have also teamed up with MTA Long Island Railroad (LIRR) to add an official westbound train for concertgoers:

The train, departing from the LIRR East Hampton station at 10:56 PM, is aptly timed to ensure concert goers will have sufficient time to enjoy the day's line-up and festivities and will be making all the local stops on Long Island into Brooklyn and Manhattan.

For more fun, you can download the official MTK 2011 App for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad at the iTunes app store. The fest also features fashion tents. According to a press release:

The fashion pop-up tents will be set up in a "retail village" and the merchants are anything but your average festival brands. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were first to purchase pop-ups from MTK: Music To Know - planning to debut their much-anticipated website StyleMint and their successful contemporary line Elizabeth & James to the crowd of almost 10,000 people gathered at the event in the Hamptons during the height of the season.

Hmmm... Tickets for the festival are still available. Set times and a list of the clothing brands that will be on display at the fest below...

Continue reading "East Hampton MTK Fest announces set times, a special LIRR train,... Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen..."

The new Escape to New York festival is happening Southampton, NY this weekend. As mentioned, the music lineup features artists such as Patti Smith, Best Coast, Mates ot State, Psychedelic Furs, The Vaccines, of Montreal, and others. There will also be an acoustic stage with sets by Savoir Adore, Dead Leaf Echo, and many others we aren't too familiar with, and a dance tent, and a "dance off area" with sets by VHS or Beta (Live), Andy Rourke (of The Smiths), Alex English, Mister Saturday Night, "DJ Scotto of NASA", Rich Medina, and many others (also a lot of unfamiliar names). Tickets are still on sale and include weekend pass and camping options.

Escape to New York is not to be confused with Music To Know Fest which is in East Hampton one weekend later.

For the Psychedelic Furs, the Sothampton festival appearance is one of two upcoming NY shows. The other is at Irving Plaza with Tom Tom Club.

Rich Medina DJs in the Main Dance Tent at Escape to New York on Sunday. He has also been added as the opener to the BrooklynVegan-presented Little Dragon show happening at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Tuesday, August 16th. The show is sold out, though tickets are on sale for Little Dragon's upcoming show at Terminal 5. Meanwhile catch Rich at Le Poisson Rounge TONIGHT (8/3).

Best Coast, who play Escape to New York on Friday night, have a new Drew Barrymore-directed video which you can watch below...

Continue reading "'Escape to NY' this weekend, Rich Medina opening for Little Dragon @ MHOW, Drew Barrymore directed Best Coast video"

Psychedelic Furs at Wellmont in 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

The Psychedelic Furs recently reissued their sophomore album Talk Talk Talk (home of "Pretty In Pink") in Europe, where they toured the album in its entirety. On Saturday (6/25), they kicked off a tour for the album in America. That tour doesn't hit NYC, but they will come through in October for a traditional show at Irving Plaza on October 3 with Tom Tom Club. Tickets are on sale now.

Both Psychedelic Furs and Tom Tom Club also have festival appearances scheduled in August and both are playing the Hamptons. As mentioned, Tom Tom Club play Music to Know Fest in East Hampton. Psychedelic Furs were added to Escape to New York at the Shinnecock Reservation in Southampton, NY on August 5 - 7. Tickets are still available. Other recently confirmed acts include Of Montreal, Savoir Adore, Reptar, Mates of State, Tiger Love, and Jolly Boys.

Full Escape to NY lineup and all Psychedelic Furs tour dates below...

Continue reading "upcoming Psychedelic Furs gigs, updated Escape to NY lineup"

"Escape to New York, an art, music and interactive performance party from the creator of the Secret Garden Party UK is pleased to confirm their Friday and Saturday line-ups:

Patti Smith, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, The Vaccines, Best Coast, Au Revoir Simone, Chairlift, Lissy Trullie, Graffiti 6, The Submarines, White Rabbits, Static Jacks and The Postelles.

The Sunday Main Stage line up and the weekend's DJ line up will be announced over the next few weeks........

Coming to the US shores for the first time, Escape to New York is the first pop-up destination community and independent experiential music and lifestyle festival to take place on Shinnecock Nation land adjacent to Southampton, New York, from August 5th through 7th, 2011.

Expect the unexpected. Imagine the unimaginable. This special event is unlike anything the east coast has experienced before including the world's biggest brunch at a live music festival, installation and performance art, experimental theater, high-end camping, aka "Glamping" and amazing culinary delights unlike any other festival event. Escape to New York will also feature a safe children play area so families can enjoy the festivities, shade areas to cool off in, traditional Shinnecock arts and crafts and food, and three days/nights of some of the best emerging artists and known heritage acts to be heard anywhere.

"Our goal is turn upside down the conventional music festival experience and recreate it in a way that makes each and every attendee walk away feeling they just had an incredibly unexpected and amazing VIP experience from the moment they entered our gates all the way through to when they pack up to return to their regular lives", shares Escape to New York Executive Producer, Fred Fellowes.

The location of Escape to New York on the sovereign Shinnecock Reservation land is also unique. The Shinnecocks have lived along the shores of Eastern Long Island for thousands of years, and in October 2010 became the 565th federally recognized tribe.

Thus upon entering the reservation you are both in and escaping New York.

"The Shinnecock Nation welcomes the Escape to New York festival that will take here in August and we are working closely with the festival team to assure a success," says Beverly Jensen, Shinnecock Tribe Member and Communications Director. "

Well, hopefully this festival doesn't need to sell as many tickets as Music to Know Fest which happens in East Hampton one weekend later (and just announced Vampire Weekend, Bright Eyes, Cold War Kids, Chromeo, Matt & Kim, etc). That said, with Escape to New York they're really trying to push the experience separate from the bands. In fact, a "Manifesto of the Party" on their website includes these lines:

What makes a good party?
What you do not what you see
Who you meet not who you see

It ends with "Imagine a wonderland." Is this potential wonderland (and "the world's biggest brunch") worth $100 a day? Tickets are on sale.

alternate headline: Vampire Weekend headlining Hamptons Music Fest, go figure

Vampire Weekend @ Coachella 2008 (more by Ryan Muir)

MTK: Music To Know Festival announces its inaugural line up headlined by Vampire Weekend on Saturday, August 13th and Bright Eyes on Sunday, August 14th. Other confirmed bands include Matt & Kim, Cold War Kids, Chromeo, Tame Impala, Ra Ra Riot, Fitz & The Tantrums, Tom Tom Club, Dawes, M Ward, We Are Scientists, The Limousines, Naked and Famous, Francis and the Lights, Suddyn, Nicos Gun and Young Empires -- 18 of today's most critically-acclaimed and successful new, emerging and well-known bands. The music begins at noon each day, ending at 10PM.

According to Co-Founder Chris Jones "The Hamptons are a unique market to say the least -- full of decision makers, trend setters, and taste generators who have always been eager to embrace the best and the brightest in our culture -- whether that is in literature, film, fashion or music. We are excited to bring this collection of artists together in our community, and hope this is the first of many annual events."

Cheesy marketing and opinions of the ritzy location and potential crowd aside, I have to say that MTK did a pretty kick-ass job of curating a relevant indie rock lineup for an East Hampton crowd (filled with bands that do a good job of moving tickets, relatively speaking). Tickets are on sale now. Two-day passes start at $195 each+fees+parking if you need it. VIP tix will cost you much more.

Without knowing how willing people are to travel to the Hamptons, how many people are already in the Hamptons, and how many tickets they need to sell (possibly only "9,500 people over both days"), it's hard to guess how successful the fest will be (from a business/longevity point of view) (Bing is a sponsor so that probably helps), but it definitely beat expectations so far (relatively speaking). More details below...

Continue reading "Music To Know Fest announces lineup (Vampire Weekend, Bright Eyes, Matt & Kim, CWK, Chromeo, M Ward, more)"

According to "Music to Know"'s website, there will be "18 bands, dozens of chefs, wines, beer, retail and lifestyle brands, a premium weekend festival presenting the hottest music, fashion, lifestyle, chefs, and wines and beers to know." It also says "website under construction. stay tuned." I can't wait to know the full lineup of the August 13-15 East Hampton fest which...

"...had been planned for Amagansett, received approval for the East Hampton Airport property usage on Thursday, though they have one more hurdle to cross: an okay from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Sag Harbor residents Collage and Chris Jones, owner of the Sole East, has permission for bands and a DJ to play between noon and 10 p.m. The permit is for a total of 9,500 people over both days..."

...says the East Hampton Patch who also reveals that Dawes are confirmed on the bill so far.

MTK is not to be confused with the just-announced August 5-7 Southampton fest called Escape to New York.

Rufus Wainwright @ Highline Ballroom (more by Chris La Putt)

Rufus Wainwright is playing a benefit in Watermill, NY on August 30th. The cheapest ticket is $125. The press release and a few other tour dates below...

Continue reading "Rufus Wainwright - fancy Hamptons show & 2008 Tour Dates"