Norah Jones at LPR w/ Doveman in 2011 (more by Vincent Cornelli)

Stones Fest 2012, a tribute to the Rolling Stones similar to Petty Fest and Dylan Fest, is going down on February 22 at Webster Hall. Billed as "A Night To Get Drunk And Celebrate The Music Of The Rolling Stones," the fest will feature appearances by most of the same people who usually play these events, Norah Jones, Adam Green, Jesse Malin, Nicole Atkins, Jason Sudeikis (of SNL), Jessie Baylin, Tad Kubler (of The Hold Steady), The Sheepdogs, Jon Herrington (of Steely Dan), Jody Porter (of Fountains of Wayne, Sammy James Jr. (of the Mooney Suzuki), Jack Dishel (of Only Son), Todd Youth, Alec Higins (of Alberta Cross), Danny Clinch and the Tangiers Blues Band, Steve Schiltz (of Hurricane Bells/Longwave), Justin Long, Antony Ellis (of 5 O'Clock Heros), Jason Roberts, Petter Ericson Stakee, The Uptown Horns, and many more surprise guests. Tickets go on sale Thursday (1/26) at noon. $2 from each ticket will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.

The show happens about three weeks before a different Stones tribute happening on March 13 at Carnegie Hall with The Mountain Goats, Glen Hansard, TV on the Radio, and others. Tickets for that show are still on sale.

Speaking of Norah Jones, she's set to release her Danger Mouse-produced LP, Little Broken Hearts, sometime this year and follow it with a tour. Norah Jones and Danger Mouse previously collaborated on 2011's Rome. Check out an acoustic performance of the song "Black" from that album below (via Rolling Stone).

Video below...

Continue reading "Stones Fest happening @ Webster Hall w/ Norah Jones & more (not long before the tribute @ Carnegie Hall)"

Don Hill RIP (photo by Julian Ungano)

Steve Lewis: Don Hill has passed, and a lot of people are getting together to celebrate his life. Since Don Hill went down, there's not as many places where we can all gather. And let's face it, Don Hill owned the place. He booked it, he answered the phones, and, we suppose, at the end of the night swept up the place...Michael T, tell me why you're involved in this event, and what did Don Hill mean to you?

Michael T: I met Don back in the eighties at Cat Club when I was very young. He opened Don Hill's in the early nineties, and I was one of the first persons to perform there. Later, in the second run of Don Hill's, I started to do my party, Rated X, there. It was really the first time that Don and I had worked together on a regular basis. It was super easy. Don was always the same. He was Don. It's so rare in the business to have someone that's just steady, where you know what you're going to get out of him. We had a great working relationship, and a comfortable personal relationship. He was a straight shooter.

At 1am the party turns into Squeezebox. Tickets are still available. Flyer below...

Continue reading "Don Hill tribute happening at Irving Plaza"

Craig Finn, Tad Kubler & friends @ Bowery Electric last night

Though Brian Fallon cancelled, there was still plenty of talent to go around at last night's 1st-of-three BrooklynVegan-sponsored Replacements tribute shows at Bowery Electric. The Hold Steady's Craig Finn & Tad Kubler performed a cover of "Within Your Reach" which you can watch below (courtesy of jukeboxgraduate) along with a video of the encore performance of "Bastards of Young" that had Craig Finn, Titus Andronicus's Patrick Stickles, Jesse Malin, Tommy Ramone and others all on stage together.

If you missed the show, you have two more chances to experience it tonight (11/17). The early show is sold out though, but tickets are still available for the late one. Tonight's guests will not include Craig, but you will get:

Alex Levy
Anthony D'Amato
Danny Sage (D Generation)
Dave Hause (The Loved Ones)
Don DiLego & Bree Sharp (Beautiful Small Machines)
Jesse Malin
John Eddie
John Gallagher (American Idiot)
Matt Pinfield (MTV's 120 Minutes)
Matt Sweeney
Nicole Atkins
Paul Bearer (Sheer Terror)
Ted Leo
Tommy Ramone
Walter Lure (Johnny Thunders' Heartbreakers)
& MORE

Meanwhile Craig Finn has announced a solo tour in support of his upcoming album which he also posted a song from. No NYC dates for now, but you can see all the other dates, listen to his new song and watch the videos from the Replacements event, below...

Continue reading "Craig Finn covered the Replacements (video), posted a new song (stream), touring solo in February (dates)"

Color Me Obsessed, a film about The Replacements, will be screening at a number of film festivals and other venues this year and next year. The film was produced by Gorman Bechard (of What We Were Thinking Films) and features interviews with Colin Meloy of The Decemberists, Craig Finn of The Hold Steady, Tommy Ramone, members of Husker Du, Robert Christgau, Jim Derogatis, Ira Robbins, Tom Arnold, and others. The film will premiere in NYC on November 16 and 17 at Bowery Electric.

We're excited to announce that, along with Bowery Electric, we're presenting MATS CITY, a Replacements tribute show that will take place at Bowery Electric after each screening. The show, which will be hosted by Matt Pinfield features a number of guests including Brian Fallon (Gaslight Anthem), Jesse Malin, Steve Wynn, Ted Leo, Chuck Ragan, Charlie Mars, Dave Hause (The Loved Ones), Matthew Ryan, Willie Nile, Tommy Ramone, Alejandro Escovedo, Dave Pulkingham, Walter Lure, Kevn Kinney, Don DiLego, Joe D'Urso, Danny Sage, and Nicole Atkins, and many more to be announced. Those singers will be backed by a band which includes Todd Youth, Matt Romano, and Johnny T. Tickets for the 11/16 and the 11/17 shows are on sale now (ticket options include movie only and show only, and both). A portion of the proceeds will go to Musicians On Call. Note that exact lineups for each date are TBA. Some performers may only be playing one day.

A list of cities the film will screen in and teaser video below...

Continue reading "new Replacements movie 'Color Me Obsessed' screening @ Bowery Electric before 2 special tribute concerts (on sale now)"

Petty Fest is returning to NYC this October, though unlike previous years, this year there will be "Two Nights To Get Drunk And Celebrate The Songs Of Tom Petty." The fest is taking place October 5 at Music Hall of Williamsburg and October 6 at Bowery Ballroom. The fest is (almost) the same lineup of musicians that usually get together for things like this, like Norah Jones, Nicole Atkins, Jesse Malin, Sammy James Jr. (The Mooney Suzuki), Jody Porter (Fountains of Wayne), Tad Kubler of The Hold Steady, Josh Lattanzi of The Lemonheads, and others. Interesting additions inclue Har Mar Superstar and Jonny Corndawg. I hope they do a duet. And of course there will be "surprise guests". Tickets for both nights go on sale Thursday (9/1) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (8/31) at noon. $2 from each ticket will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.

Jonny Corndawg meanwhile will also be in NYC TONIGHT (8/30) for his record release show at Union Pool.

Full Petty Fest lineup, flier, and a recent video of Neko Case and My Morning Jacket covering "Stop Dragging My Heart Around" together, below...

Continue reading "Petty Fest returns in 2011, 2 nights, 2 venues"

Johnny Thunders would turn 59 Friday (7/15) and his birthday is being celebrated tonight (7/14) at D-Generationer Jesse Malin's LES club Bowery Electric. There will be a number of artists performing including Heartbreaker Walter Lure's The Waldos, Oddball Alison Gordy, Pillbox who are apparently reuniting, and many others that are listed below. There will also reportedly be some special guests including ex-Dead Boy Jeff Magnum (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH JEFF MANGUM OF NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL), Jesse Malin, Andy Shernoff of The Dictators, Lenny Kaye and many others.

Many of those playing appeared on the 2009 "Skykrebs Records"-released "Born To Lose" tribute 3CD Boxed set. That includes Krebs & The Maynard G's, The Waldos and Alison Gordy.

Trouser Press writes of Pillbox:

Before there was a Strokes to make it safe as milk, the snarly glam punk spirit of the Stooges, New York Dolls and Dead Boys lived for a time in the skinnyassed tattooed bodies of Pillbox, a New York quartet which offered a skankier, more menacing and less theatrical alternative to the likeminded and better-known D Generation.

D Generation plays reunion shows in September at bigger venues.

Lenny Kaye, who will supposedly be a special guest at the show tonight, is a longtime member of the Patti Smith Group. Patti Smith plays a free show at Castle Clinton tonight (7/15). Don't forget that, "FREE TICKETS AVAILABLE FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED AT THE GATE STARTING AT 5PM. DOORS OPEN AT 6PM." People are already in line as of 2pm. It would be cool of Patti ended up at the Johnny Thunders party afterwards too.

Full Bowery Electric lineup and the Pillbox video below...

Continue reading "Johnny Thunders birthday being celebrated @ Bowery Electric, Pillbox reuniting, Patti Smith playing Castle Clinton today"

Nicole Atkins during SXSW 2011 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

If you like Bob Dylan and booze-soaked singalongs, you might want to consider hitting Bowery Ballroom on May 26th and 27th for Dylan Fest, a two day extravaganza in celebration of the 70th birthday of musical deity. Much like the one-night fest last year (and at the similar Petty Fest), both nights boast familiar names like Norah Jones, Adam Green, Will Forte and Jason Sudeikis of SNL, Jesse Malin (who has other shows coming up), Nikolai Fraiture of the Strokes, as well as members of Little Joy, The Hold Steady, Fountains of Wayne, Mooney Suzuki, The Lemonheads, and many more, with Nicole Atkins on board for the first night (5/26). Tickets are on sale for both the 5/26 and the 5/27 shows at noon today. The full linuep is below.

Nicole Atkins and her band The Black Sea have also added a headlining show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on July 8th. Tickets go on sale Friday April 29th at noon. The show is one of a few scattered dates scheduled for Atkins in the coming months. Check out her whole schedule below.

In related news, Norah Jones has been announced as the special guest for Saturday's previously discussed Doveman show at Le Poisson Rouge. Tickets are still available. The show is one of three more scheduled for Doveman at LPR, with other appearances occurring on May 26th and June 24th. Details on guests for those shows are still forthcoming.

In also related news, Nicolai Fraiture's day job, The Strokes, have announced that they will appear at the sold out T In The Park festival in Scotland in July along with Pulp, Coldplay, Slash, and Foo Fighters. The band also recently appeared on Conan O'Brien (on 4/20). Check out a video of their performance of "Games" alongside a Nicole Atkins video of "Cry Cry Cry" from SXSW and all tour dates and stuff, below.

Continue reading "Dylan Fest returns , Nicole Atkins adds shows, Norah Jones adds appearances, The Strokes played Conan (video & dates)"

"While groups such as the Strokes and the White Stripes get most of the credit for spearheading the garage rock revival movement of the early 21st century, there were several similarly styled bands of the mid- to late- '90s that preceded the aforementioned acts (with far less commercial success and press), such as D Generation. Formed during 1991 in New York City, the band automatically turned a blind eye towards the burgeoning Seattle movement, as their look and sound was straight out of NYC circa the early '70s, when trashy glam bands like the New York Dolls ruled the scene, and such punk bands as the Ramones and the Dead Boys were about to crash the party. Originally comprised of Jesse Malin (vocals), Richard "The Atomic Elf" Bacchus (guitar), Georgie Seville (guitar), Howie Pyro (bass), and Belvy K (drums), both Seville and aK would exit soon after -- replaced with Danny Sage and Michael Wildwood, respectively." -[allmusic]

Jesse Malin meanwhile is on tour with Alejandro Escovedo. Tickets are still on sale for their April 30th show at the Bell House and May 6th show at Maxwell's.

Though broken up since 1999, D Generation did reunite previously, in 2008 for a 3-song set at the John Varvatos store opening. A video from that, and others, below...

Continue reading "D Generation reuniting for NYC & LA shows"

Jesse Malin & Alejandro Escovedo at Bowery Electric (more by Lori Baily)

Alejandro Escovedo will swing through town with Jesse Malin and The St. Marks Social as part of an April & May tour. Escovedo will hit numerous venues in New York & New Jersey including the previously discussed Port Washington date, The Bell House on April 30 (tickets), and Maxwell's on May 6th (tickets).

Escovedo is also playing the 2011 edition of Calgary festival Sled Island in June, alongside names like Sleep, Blonde Redhead, Cursive, Zola Jesus, The Greenhornes, and countless others. Tickets are on sale. The full lineup and the rest of Escovedo's tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Alejandro Escovedo touring w/ Jesse Malin, playing Sled Island"

Joseph Arthur is a regular at City Winery where his regular residencies include a different special guest at each show. On February 3rd it will be Greg Laswell. On February 5th it will be Jesse Malin. And on January 15th it will be ex-Pedro the Lion frontman David Bazan who leaves on a tour two weeks later with Jimmy Eat World. That tour hits House of Blues in Atlantic City on February 11th, and many other places. All dates below...

Continue reading "David Bazan playing City Winery, touring w/ Jimmy Eat World"

photos courtesy of WireImage/Tommy

Julian Casablancas of The Strokes being stylish

Billed as "A Night To Get Drunk And Celebrate Tom Petty's 60th Birthday!!!", the annual Petty Fest takes place at Bowery Ballroom on 10/28, and it includes essentially the same big group of musicians that keep getting together for these tribute shows to Petty and Dylan. This next one promises appearances from numerous performers including Adam Green (who just showed up at the final Dufus show), Norah Jones (I wonder if she'll sing with Belle and Sebastian at Williamsburg Waterfront tonight), Will Forte & Jason Sudeikis of Saturday Night Live, Nicole Atkins, Nikolai Fraiture, Catherine Pierce, Jesse Malin, Tyson Ritter of the All American Rejects, Reeve & Zane Carney, Jody Porter of Fountains Of Wayne, Sammy James of the Mooney Suzuki, Steve Schiltz of Hurricane Bells & Longwave, Antony Ellis of Five O'Clock Heroes, Mikki James, and Hymns. They wanted to have this in the Varvatos Store but he was booked already that night. I kid. Tickets are on sale for the 18+ show.

Speaking of Nikolai Fraiture, his band The Strokes (whose singer is pictured above) still don't have a new album out and still haven't played a proper NYC show, though they did play one on 9/12 for Tommy Hilfiger during Fashion Week this year.

Scale appeared to be the theme of the entire party, which was equal parts industry corporate, swanky, and of course - this is Tommy we're talking about - preppy. Outside, nearly 40 khaki-clad male models lined the dramatic red carpet, backlit by the designer's bright initials in shifting hues of red, white, and blue set against green grass. Inside, we lost count of the number of rolled-up pants with loafers, kind of like our inability to count the number of celebrities sipping champagne and snacking on lobster rolls: Mark Ruffalo, Ed Westwick, Russel Simmons, Kimora Lee Simmons, Neil Patrick Harris, Christina Hendricks, Kelly Osbourne, Jeremy Piven, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lopez.

...By the time The Strokes played their loud-as-hell set including hits "Last Night," "Someday," and "Reptilia," the crowd was ready to dance. Julian was in full form, sliding around in black stretch jeans and white shades, filling the atrium with powerhouse vocals.

A typically reserved crowd of A-list attendees broke out into a spontaneous dance party on the first-floor staircase, like a cross between The Stroke's best-looking fans and J.Crew's latest advertising campaign. After a supremely satisfying set of about eight songs, The Strokes walked off, thanking the crowd. -[Elle]

Continue reading "Petty Fest 2010 includes that same big group of artists, members of the Strokes (who played a fashion week show)"

words & photos by Benjamin Lozovsky

ZZ Top

While many designers tagged trendier (see younger) performers to appear at their Fashion Week soirees, many of which happened the day before for Fashion's Night Out, John Varvatos and show curator/drummer Matt Sorum (Velvet Revolver, Guns N' Roses) stayed true to the spirit of the Bowery store located where CBGB once stood, picking a lineup that would make Wayne and Garth tremble with a lack of self worth (Mike Meyers sitting on the side of the stage with a giddy grin would seem to confirm that).

Alejandro Escovedo performed first on Saturday night (9/11), churning out garage crunch with no less than 4 guitarists blazing on the Varvatos store's small stage. Ian Hunter (lead singer of Mott the Hopple) followed and was joined by Escovedo for a performance of glam cornerstone anthem "All The Young Dudes."

To break up the boys club, former Runaways singer Cherie Currie, one of rock's more underappreciated female frontwomen, came on next. Currie performed "Cherry Bomb," the Runaways' ode to young female rebellion, with a still palpable sense of angst, proving at the same time you're never too old to stop flaunting sex appeal (and to fit into leather corsets).

The Darling Stilettos

Taking a cue from the icon that preceded them, the night's youngest performers, The Darling Stilettos (think rock's answer to the Pussycat Dolls), danced and felt each other up in all the right places while screaming classic rock covers (and one original tune) like over-sexualized banshees.

There were new groups from established rockers as well. New York icon Jessie Malin performed with his latest musical collective The St. Marks Social, and recently formed rock super group Black Country Communion, consisting of former Deep Purple frontman/bassist Glenn Hughes, blues guitar god Joe Bonamassa, and prodigal son Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin, Foreigner) gave a sneak preview of some of the heavy tracks from their upcoming self-titled debut.

After a brief pause, Los Angeles superstar cover band Camp Freddy settled in as the house band for the remainder of the show, welcoming on stage a revolving door of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alumni as the evening catapulted upward in intensity. Some played covers, like ZZ Top (who were in town to play two nights at Beacon Theatre) evoking the spirit of Hendrix with "Foxy Lady" and Perry Farrell aggressively launching into the audience during "Sympathy for the Devil." Others did their own songs, like MC5's outspoken guitarist Wayne Kramer urging the crowd on during "Kick Out the Jams" with help from Handsome Dick Manitoba, or Alice Cooper being diabolically stylish while performing "I'm 18" and "School's Out."

By the time Farrell ended the night with Jane's Addiction's "Mountain Song," the Varvatos store crowd had finally reached the feverish level of turbulence one would expect for such a night. In fact the performers throughout the night consistently displayed more energy than the predominantly younger audience. For an event full of aging rockers, it really just felt like a riotous gathering of all the young dudes.

The crowd was full of familiar faces as well. Chris Brown, Jimmy Kimmel, Rachael Ray, and Matt Pinfield were among those getting their picture taken on the red carpet and mingling with the fashioned-out crowd. Iggy Pop (who played Don Hill's the night before) and Robert Plant (who played Bowery Ballroom the next day) were nowhere in sight though. More pictures and some videos from the whole night below...

Continue reading "ZZ Top, Perry Farrell, Alice Cooper & many more played John Varvatos' 10th Anniversary @ the Bowery store (pics & video) "

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club played the Fashion Week party at Don Hill's on Thursday. Iggy Pop and The Stooges played there Friday, and according to the above Tweet by Eli Mizrahi, Courtney Love is playing there tonight.

Eli's Tweet also reminds us that tonight is the John Varvatos's 10th Anniversary party in the store previously known as CBGB. There will be a concert from: 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. Supposedly confirmed performers include Alejandro Escovedo, Alice Cooper, Wayne Kramer, Ian Hunter, ZZ Top, Black Country Communion, Camp Freddy, Cherie Currie, Darling Stillettos, Handsome Dick Manitoba, Jesse Malin & The St. Marks Social, and Perry Farrell . Rumored performers include Iggy Pop and (thanks John) Robert Plant (who plays Bowery Ballroom Sunday).

Who else is playing fashion week parties tonight?

photos by Lori Baily, words by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Alejandro Escovedo - Silver Cloud (MP3)

Alejandro Escovedo & Tony Visconti @ Bowery Electric

Alejandro Escovedo played two NYC-area shows this past week. The gigs followed his appearance on David Letterman Wednesday night (video below), and both featured their own special guests.

At the Wednesday night (7/21) Bowery Electric show, the guests were appropriate considering the venue: the East Village bar attracted a host of neighborhood regulars - some better prepared than others (crib sheets littered the stage). The on-stage friends included Ivan Julian (of Richard Hell & the Voidoids), Garland Jeffreys, "Handsome" Dick Manitoba, Bowery Electric owner Jesse Malin, Amy Cook, Kristeen Young, Tony Visconti (who also turned up at Alejandro's City Winery shows), James Mastro, Nicholas Tremulis and Fiona McBain. Alejandro Escovedo's new record, Street Songs of Love, stood up through the diverse interpretations: from Kristeen Young's octave-jumping belting to Ivan Julian's snarling drawl. Though the show's tightest moment caught Alejandro locked in with his band, the Sensitive Boys, like on the show-opening "Always A Friend," from his previous album, Real Animal. For the encore, a swamped stage worked through the Rolling Stones' "Beast of Burden" and Mott the Hopple's "All the Young Dudes."

After the set, the band and friends hung around upstairs to catch themselves on Letterman. Our photographer Lori Baily hung around too, and her pictures from the entire show are below.

Two nights later (7/23), Alejandro invited a different guest up on stage for his show at New Jersey's Stone Pony. Bruce Springsteen joined for their Street Songs duet ("Faith"), an Alejandro song covered by the Boss in the past ("Always A Friend") and (like at Bowery Electric) "Beast of Burden."

Check out "Silver Cloud" from the new album, posted above. Videos from NJ & Letterman, and more pictures from NYC, below...

Continue reading "Alejandro Escovedo & special guests played Bowery Electric, Stone Pony (w/ the Boss) & Letterman (pics & video) "

Pete Seeger @ Clearwater Festival 2009 (more by Chris La Putt)

City Winery will be hosting a three-night oil spill relief benefit, dubbed Reclaim The Coast, on July 23rd, 25th and 30th. The lineups vary for each...

July 23rd: Pete Seeger, Richard Barone, James Maddock, Elysian Fields, Mike Doughty, Lucy Wainwright Roche, The Roches, Julie Gold, Peter Yarrow (More TBA)

July 25th: Ian Axel, Ed Romanoff, The Madison Square Gardeners, Paula Valstein, The Spring Standards, The Wellspring, Rich Pagano (More TBA)

July 30th: Marshall Crenshaw, Martin Rivas, Christina Courtin, Among the Oak & Ash, Jay Nash (More TBA)

They'll also have a packed house for "Channeling Chilton - A night of Alex Chilton's Music" on July 28th. The confirmed lineup includes Yo La Tengo, Marshall Crenshaw, Jody Stephens, Jon Auer, Doug Garrison, Rene Coman, Alan Vega, Jon Spencer (of the Blues Explosion), Fran Kowalski, Chris Stamey, Lesa Aldridge (Elizabeth Hoehn), Jay Proctor (of Jay & the Techniques), Bill Cunningham, Gary Talley, Terry Manning, Evan Dando, Jesse Malin, Danny Kroha (of The Gories). In light of the recent passing of founding Big Star bassist Andy Hummel, it should be an emotional night.
Tickets are on sale.

More info on the Gulf Coast relief effort are below...

Continue reading "City Winery hosting a 3-night Pete Seeger Oil Spill relief benefit & Big Star tribute night"

Spoon @ Radio City in March (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

Spoon, whose next show is at the MAHA Music Festival in Omaha, Nebraska, will be coming to New York soon as part of their handful of dates opening for Arcade Fire. Those include the shows at Madison Square Garden on August 4th and 5th (which Owen Pallett also opens).

Spoon's upcoming tour dates also include Matador's Lost Weekend, Austin City Limits, and a free September 12th show at Clark, NJ's Oak Ridge Park (a little more than an hour by train from NYC). There they'll headline the 13th annual Union County MusicFest. The free five-day fair will have two days of music, Saturday, September 11th and Sunday, September 12th. The first night's bands include The Bravery, Soul Asylum, OK Go, Mike Peters and Friends, Willie Nile, Jesse Malin and the St. Marks Social, and 61 North. Joining Spoon on the second night are Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Nils Lofgren Acoustic Duo, The Zombies and Suzanne Vega. More bands are still to be announced.

All Spoon dates below....

Continue reading "Spoon playing NJ's free Union County MusicFest & other dates "

photos by Brian Reilly

While the crowd waited for Gogol to come on stage, they were entertained by trippy videos, along with hip-hop and world music from Haiti I believe? At least that's what I thought Eugene Hutz said. Gogol Bordello came on at 9:30pm and rock Irving Plaza like they always do! Eugene came out and started to play "Illumination," slowly more members came out to play along...At some point they played "Pala Tute" which is the song they performed with Madonna at Live Earth in 2007. That song I believe, is on their new album.

After that, "Not A Crime" was played and the crowd went insane. Same goes with "Wonderlust King." I noticed throughout the concert that Pedro was more involved than the last time I saw the band, and Pamela wasn't really as involved as Elizabeth was. Pedro was playing the drum and bongos a lot more, and the girls were in the background for majority of the set. Eugene is such a unique and energetic frontman that it's hard not to keep your eyes off him. Sergey is an exciting fiddle player as well. Without a doubt, Gogol is still one of the best live acts in the world right now. [Read Junk]

Gogol Bordello have tour dates in North America and Europe scheduled around the release of their new record, Trans-Continental Hustle, which comes out April 27th on American Recordings.

More pictures from the show and the full setlist are below...

Continue reading "Gogol Bordello & Jesse Malin @ Irving Plaza - pics & setlist"

Gogol Bordello @ Carnegie Hall's Tibet House benefit (more by Chris La Putt)

The highlights of the [Tibet House benefit on February 26th] on were the musicians who brought the audience to its feet and got them dancing in the aisles. Gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello's electrifying performance elicited shrieks from the audience, many of whom began running down the Carnegie Hall aisles to crowd the stage area at lead singer Eugene Hutz's feet. He ended the set by proclaiming, "Beautiful house, beautiful cause." [Wall Street Journal]

They'll be touring the world in support of that this spring. The first of their upcoming shows is in New York City and only a little more than a week away. They play Tuesday, March 9th at Irving Plaza. Tickets are on sale and a portion of the proceeds from the show will go to the American Red Cross for Haiti Relief.

The NYC show is in advance of their North American dates this April with openers DeVotchKa, Jesse Malin and St. Mark's Social, and Tres Leches Afterparty Sound Crew, and their May/June shows in Europe with Forro in the Dark, Mariachi El Bronx (who comes to NYC this April), and Tres Leches Afterparty Sound Crew.

Gogol Bordello played three shows at Webster Hall at the end of 2009.

All tour dates, track list, and a clip of the band and their excited fans are below...

Continue reading "Gogol Bordello - new album info & 2010 Tour Dates"

photos by Tim Griffin

"The angry woodsman gutter-punk of Murder By Death finally drew the majority of [the Brooklyn Bowl] attendees to the stage as mutton-chopped Adam Turla yelped out his Johnny Cash baritone over songs about whiskey, low-down women, and the devil. The set focused largely on the quartet's latest Red of Tooth and Claw, kicking off with the steel-driving "Ball & Chain" and rapping up forty-five minutes later with the Inglorious Basterds-approved "Comin' Home." Cellist Sarah Balliet added extra grit and grind on the low end.

"We are the last of the jukebox Romeos," the Gaslight Anthem's Brian Fallon sang halfway through their set. I couldn't put it any better. These four New Jersey boys wear their hearts and influences on their sleeves, singing the sort of unashamed rock and roll you didn't think anyone made anymore. Within the set's first three songs - "High Lonesome," "Casanova, Baby!" and "Old White Lincoln" - they'd already quoted Springsteen four times, Tom Waits twice, with some Wilson Pickett, Gary "U.S." Bonds and Tom Petty in for good measure." [Dylan, Etc]

Their next NYC-area show happens December 11th in their home state of NJ at the Wellmont Theater. Tickets go on sale Friday. More pictures from Brooklyn Bowl, below...

Continue reading "the Gaslight Anthem played Terminal 5 & Brooklyn Bowl w/ Murder by Death & friends (pics), playing Wellmont Theatre"

Last night I posted a contest to win tickets to see The Gaslight Anthem and their three tour-mates at the large Terminal 5 in midtown. Today they add a show happening one day later with the same lineup at a way smaller venue in Brooklyn that has a bowling alley in it. The new date is Friday, October 16th and tickets go on sale Wednesday at noon.

photos by Eric M. Townsend

"I have never had any romantic, personal or financial involvement with Courtney Love. She is confusing me with her ex, who produced my Rock n Roll record, which was financed solely by Universal Music." - Ryan Adams to Gawker

You can also catch Ryan in person this Friday at the New York Public Library. Maybe he'll go see Polvo at the Bell House tonight. More pictures from the art opening, below....

Continue reading "Ryan Adams opened his art exhibition @ Morrison Hotel Gallery w/ guest auctioneer Jesse Malin (pics) "

In the same vein as last year's Dylan Fest at the Mercury Lounge (and with much of the same cast), the Bowery Ballroom is hosting "Petty Fest" on Thursday, September 3rd. The opening band is The London Souls. A house band, called "Cabin Down Below Band," will be joined for the main act by guests that include Hymns, The Pierces, Jesse Malin, Adam Green, Matt Romano & Rodrigo Amarante of Little Joy, and Fabrizio Moretti of Little Joy/The Strokes. Tickets are on sale. Full lineup and flyer (and videos) below...

Continue reading "Petty Fest this week at Bowery Ballroom"

All Points West on Sunday (by Chris La Putt)

"Due to circumstances completely beyond our control, our set at All Points West on Sunday August 2nd was cut at the last minute. Needless to say, we were and still are extremely disappointed that we weren't allowed to perform for everyone who came out to see us, braving the terrible weather, the mud, the lightning and the extremely delayed door time...only to find out that we weren't apparently playing after all.

Should any of you who came to see us at APW want come to our just-announced October 15th show in NYC at Terminal 5, try to remember to bring your APW ticket stub with you. If you do, you can present it to the people doing "ID Checks" when you enter and they will give you a drink ticket good for a free beer, soft drink or water (whatever you prefer).

With this small gesture, we want to show all of you who were at APW Sunday how grateful we are that you made that effort....while we're extremely bummed that things turned out as they did, we're also humbled by the emails and messages we've gotten from so many of you, and by your support of us, even when days like Sunday happen. So thank you for hanging in there and we hope to see many of you in a much drier and happier setting on October 15th in the city." - The Gaslight Anthem

Continue reading "Gaslight Anthem didn't play APW, so free beer when they play Terminal 5 -- 2009 Tour Dates w/ Murder by Death "

photos by Tim Griffin

I don't fully know what happened at last week's show, but this is how it looked....

Continue reading "pics from Dylan Fest @ Mercury Lounge (members of the Strokes, Hymns, Adam Green, Nicole Atkins...)"

Black Book: What bars do you claim as your own these days?

Johnny T: Black & White, Niagara, Bowery Electric, Cabin Down Below, and Pizza Shop.

Continue reading "spotlight on Johnny T (recently opened Cabin Down Below)"