photos by PSquared Photography

Anais Mitchell, who is carrying a child herself (congrats Anais!), recently released an album with Jefferson Hamer called Child Ballads (learn more about that at NPR). Anais and Jefferson have been touring that album, and played songs from it in NYC at Joe's Pub on 4/16 and 4/17. We have some pictures in this post from the first intimate show, which Robert Sarazin Blake opened.

Anais and Jefferson will continue on the road later in May after another NYC show, but this time at Rockwood Music Hall on May 10 with Port St. Willow, and as part of the Downtown Music Festival (which means maybe the show will be more expensive than usual? Not sure totally how it works.).

All tour dates and more pictures from Joe's Pub, below...

Continue reading "Anais Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer released an LP, touring, played Joe's Pub, add another NYC show (dates & pics)"

photos by PSquared Photography

Richard Thompson @ Joe's Pub, 2/5/2013

There'€™s been a big revival in folk and roots music in the last few years, ' why do you think this is?

€˜I think people like to know the old music. They like to know where they come from. The British are often very dismissive of their own culture though, like the way they laugh at Morris dancers or if a British folk song gets in the charts it gets treated like a novelty song rather than a valid piece of popular culture.

I think the more people that live inside the cyber world and the more they are on the internet, the more they seem part of the global village that people will crave the identity of their own culture and the more they will want to say this is the music of where I come from, the clothes of where I come from. - [Louder Than War]

Richard, as mentioned, will be back in NYC in March as part of a tour with Emmylou Harris and Rodney Cowell. All of those dates are listed, along with more pictures from the Joe's show, including one of the setlist, below...

Continue reading "Richard Thompson played Joe's Pub (pics, setlist), touring with Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell (dates)"

photos by PSquared Photography

Bettye LaVette at Joe's Pub - 1/12/13

Soul legend Bettye LaVette, whose first single came out 50 years ago, came to NYC for two shows this past weekend, including one at City Winery on Friday (1/11) and another at Joe's Pub on Saturday (1/12). Pictures from the Joe's Pub show are in this post. Included is a shot of the written setlist, though she didn't play everything on it, and added in a cover of The Who's "Love Reign O'er Me."

She has other upcoming shows and will be back in NYC to open for The Blind Boys of Alabama when they play Town Hall on May 17. Tickets for that show are still available.

A list of all remaining dates and more pictures from Joe's Pub below...

Continue reading "Bettye LaVette played Joe's Pub (pics, setlist)"

Bettye LaVette at Highline Ballroom, May 2010 (more by Jacob Blickenstaff)

Bettye LaVette, who is celebrating her 50th anniversary as a musician, is in the Midwest now and about to play two shows at the new City Winery Chicago, but after a stint across the pond, the soul singer will retire from the road for the year in middle December. The downtime won't last too terribly long though; Bettye LaVette will play a pair of NYC shows in early January: 1/11 at City Winery (tickets) and 1/12 at Joe's Pub (tickets).

All tour dates are listed, along with video of an entire live show, below...

Continue reading "Bettye LaVette on tour, playing Joe's Pub & City Winery (in NYC & Chicago) -- updated dates"

When most artists release a Best Of collection, they usually throw in a new song. Occasional Broken Social Scene cohort Jason Collett has taken this a step further by packaging a retrospective (Essential Cuts) with a brand new album, the previously mentioned Reckon which came out a couple weeks ago via Arts & Crafts. Both show off Collett's well-honed songwriting chops and you can stream both in full below.

Jason is currently on tour and will be in NYC on Wednesday (10/10) to play Joe's Pub. Tickets are still availaiable, but if you'd like to go for free we're giving a pair away. Details on how to enter are below, along with the album streams and all remaining tour dates.

Continue reading "stream Jason Collett's new album and best-of; he's in NYC this week (win tix!)"

The Public Theater's multi-million dollar renovation is almost complete. On October 4 the unveiling/rededication of the new Manhattan space happens and there will be a free block party and open house on Saturday, October 13, 12pm - 5pm. During that time, Lafayette Street in Manhattan will be closed from Astor Place to E4th St, and will welcome food trucks and live musical performances from a bevy of "popular Joe's Pub artists" and upcoming musical theater performances. Look for an early previews of Giant by Sybille Pearson and Michael John LaChiusa, Here Lies Love by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, Fun Home by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron, and last year's favorite The Total Bent by Stew and Heidi Rodewald, in addition to musical performances from Jessy Carolina & The Hot Mess, Sasha Allen, banjo player Tony Trischka and M.A.K.U. SoundSystem. More info is here.

While we're at it, Joe's Pub will host its share of interesting events in the coming weeks. Tickets are still available for the previously discussed Jason Collett appearance (here) and all of Henry Rollins' appearances (here). Singles and the attached alike can look forward to Never Sleep Alone (10/5, 10/19, 10/26, 11/2, tickets) a mock "sex therapy session" (read the NY Times review). 

Other shows: Anne Hathaway "and friends" will perform songs from Cabaret on October 24 (tickets); Willie Nile, who played the final show at Kenny's Castaways, plays the space on October 26 (tickets); and DeLeon, not to be confused with Sri-Lankan MC DeLon, plays the space on November 16 (tickets).

Tickets are on sale now for the five, intimate spoken word shows Henry Rollins recently scheduled at Joe's Pub in NYC, part of his 50+ date 2012 'Capitalism Tour'. Listen to some recent inspiring words that Henry posted to Youtube, below...

Continue reading "watch Henry Rollins address today's youth (Joe's Pub tickets on sale now) "

Mirah at MHOW in 2010 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Mirah is planning an East Coast tour to happen this November. That tour will be announced in full soon, but Mirah has already revealed that it will hit NYC on November 15 at Joe's Pub. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Mirah's last tour brought her to Glasslands after she played the Ecstatic Music Festival for a show this past February. You can check out a video of her from that show below.

Continue reading "Mirah planning East Coast fall tour, playing Joe's Pub (dates)"

24-year-old singer Mirel Wagner was born in Ethiopia but spent most of her life in Finland. With only spare guitar and her whispery, expressive voice, her songs are delicate and brittle like beautiful little spiderweb. Her debut album came out on Friendly Fire Recordings back in March. You can stream it below via a Spotify player and check out the video for album-opener, "To the Bone," below.

Mirel will be playing her first North American shows next month, including the Hopscotch Festival and a few dates opening for Deerhoof. She's got two shows in NYC: a solo show, as mentioned, at Joe's Pub on September 16 (tickets) and then at Music Hall of Williamsburg with Deerhoof and Buke and Gass on September 17 (tickets).

Opening for Mirel at Joe's Pub is Natureboy who maybe you caught at her Pianos residency back in June. She'll also be opening for the amazing Cate Le Bon at Union Pool on September 22 and tickets are still available. Natureboy also just recorded a Daytrotter session which you can listen to here.

A list of all tour dates, the video, and album streams below...

Continue reading "Mirel Wagner playing Joe's Pub w/ Natureboy before Deerhoof tour; Natureboy opening for Cate Le Bon (dates)"

by Andrew Sacher

Miguel at Joe's Pub - 7/31/12 (via)

R&B singer Miguel first caught ears with his 2010 debut LP, All I Want Is You, and earlier this year he resurfaced with the Art Dealer Chic EPs. He's since announced his next full length, Kaleidoscope Dream, which he'll release on October 2 via RCA, but instead of making you wait until October, Miguel has decided to gradually unveil it. He released the Kaleidoscope Dream: Water Preview digital EP yesterday (7/31), which comprises three of the eventual album tracks, will follow that with the Kaleidoscope Dream: Air Preview digital EP on September 11, and then finally on October 2, those two EPs and five more previously unreleased songs will make up the full album. Way to utilize the internet.

You can stream the entire Water Preview EP over at SPIN and download it for just under $4 at iTunes. It's decidedly more on the Frank Ocean/Weeknd side of R&B than the Usher/R. Kelly side, and it's really good. The songs are fully formed and ready for radio/MTV/arenas but there's a depth to these arrangements that won't you normally find in those places. The end of "Don't Look Back" features a straightforward homage to The Zombies' "Time of the Season," and while Miguel's not the first R&B/hip hop artist to recognize the swag of "What's your name, who's your daddy, is he rich like me?," he certainly gives it the justice it deserves in 2012.

Miguel celebrated the new EP with a private show in NYC last night (7/31) at Joe's Pub, where he performed all three of the songs on the EP in addition to older cuts as well. He was backed by a drummer, two guys with laptops/synths and an electric guitarist. Was it a little cheesy when the mega-distorted guitarist soloed and ripped aggressive power chords over smooth R&B? Yeah, a little. And there was a bit of over-the-top heteronormativity when he demanded that the men in the audience made room for the ladies up front after playing a song where he repeated, "Tell me that pussy is mine." But overall, he and his backing band sounded great playing these songs, and Miguel has the ability to play much larger venues than Joe's Pub. Check out videos from the show below.

Miguel will play a public NYC show this Saturday (8/4) at MoMA PS1 for Warm Up with Jamie xx, Lemonade, Pearson Sound, Sinjin Hawke, and Zora Jones. Tickets for that show are still available.

The only other shows we're aware of at the moment is a show with The-Dream in Columbus, OH on Friday (8/3) and Power 98's Summerfest in Charlotte, NC. All dates in list format and the videos from last night's show are below...

Continue reading "Miguel releasing 3-part LP, playing shows (streams, live video and dates)"

Like AA batteries on the subway tracks and college kids in polo shirts trying to get you to sign some petition, music is pretty inescapable on NYC. But today, June 21, 2012, it is even moreso as it's the annual Make Music New York day which puts musicians of all shades and colors on the sidewalks of our fair city. As you might imagine, some neighborhoods (like Williamsburg) will have more going on than others.

Besides a bunch of random bands, there are some fun events. Mass Appeal brings together hundreds of musicians to perform works created for one specific instrument that anyone (with said instrument) can participate in. This includes the world premiere of Philip Glass' choral work "The New Rule" which happens in Times Square at 6:30. If you'd like to join in, you can download the sheet music here.

Other Mass Appeal events happening today include accordions in Sheridan Triangle (6:30PM), bagpipes in Herald Square (7PM), harps at Urban Plaza (5:30), ouds at Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza (7PM), and many more.

More MMNY: Joe's Pub is throwing an all-day block party at Astor Pl./Lafayette from 11AM  - 7PM with performances from Chris Parrello, Heather Christian & the Arbornauts, Sxip Shirey and more.

Slavic Soul Party is playing at Jacobi Medical Center Pedestrian Mall; and Tompkins Square Park has Support Women Artists Now at 3PM, the Hungry March Band at 6PM, and Bill Popp & the Tapes at 7PM.

There's lots, lots more going on today. Go outside, you'll probably run into some of it. But you can check their website to see what's going on in your neighborhood.

Historically and technically Punk Island is part of Make Music New York, but this year Punk Island actually happens three days later (this Sunday) on Governors Island. Flyer and more info below...

Continue reading "Make Music New York today (free music & events all over NYC); Punk Island Sunday"

DOWNLOAD: Marissa Nadler - "Apostle" (MP3)

Marissa Nadler at The Hideout in Chicago (more by Ben Rodig)

Marissa Nadler will spend the first half of June playing select dates with Faces on Film. The shows include a stop in Brooklyn at Union Hall on June 15th (tickets) and another on June 16th at Joe's Pub (tickets). All tour dates are listed below.

Nadler's new LP, The Sister, will be released via her own Box of Cedars label on May 29 and is available for preorder now. The aptly-titled album is the companion release to her previous, eponymous LP. Download "Apostle" from that album above. Stream the same song, along with the video for "The Wrecking Ball Company", the album artwork, tracklist, and all dates below...

Continue reading "Marissa Nadler releasing 'The Sister,' touring (MP3, dates)"

by Bill Pearis

It's a good week for fans of early '70s cult artist Rodriguez, as he plays a rare show at Joe's Pub Wednesday night (4/25), his first visit to NYC since 2009 December 2011 when he opened for Charles Bradley at Bowery Ballroom.

He's here as the acclaimed Rodriguez documentary Searching for Sugar Man, screens at the Tribeca Film Festival this week: tonight (4/24, 9:30PM) at the BMCC Tribeca PAC and then Friday (4/27, 6PM) at the Clearview Cinemas Chelsea 7. Tickets are still available to both screenings. The synopsis:

Aspiring '70s folk rock musician Rodriguez never made it big. Despite critical praise, his albums bombed in the U.S., and he faded promptly into obscurity, leaving behind only urban legends of a gruesome onstage suicide. But somehow a bootleg copy of his album made its way to apartheid South Africa, where his antiestablishment message and distinctive sound resonated with the youth protest movement there, making Rodriguez an instant superstar. Decades later, two intrepid fans decide to investigate whatever happened to the mysterious rocker. While initially frustrated by a dearth of leads, they eventually trace his roots to 1970s Detroit and a producer named Mike Theodore, who drops a bombshell that completely changes the nature of their investigation.

Truly stranger than fiction, this story of a Mexican-American folk singer from Detroit and his unforeseen success spans decades and continents, and is aptly unraveled to the soundtrack of Rodriguez' own haunting original songs. Ultimately the fans uncover a convoluted and unbelievable true story of success, obscurity, politics, and the power of music itself.

Other music films in this year Tribeca Film Festival include Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey and a film about John Forte who also played a NYC show in conjunction with his film (at Bowery Ballroom on Sunday).

Click through for clips from Search for Sugar Man plus live performance footage from his 2009 tour.

Continue reading "Rodriguez playing Joe's Pub; documentary 'Searching for Sugar Man' playing in Tribeca Film Fest"

Jeffrey Lewis @ Space Ducks party (more by Greg Cristman)

Jeffrey Lewis, who is on tour and opened for Pulp on April 11th, was added as the special guest to the Gary Lucas show happening at Joe's Pub on April 17.

Gary Lucas meanwhile can be found TONIGHT (4/13) at the Bell House (at a tribute to the Shaggs), as well as at Rockwood Music Hall on April 22nd as a guest with Jann Klose, and again at the Bell House on May 18th.

TONIGHT/FRIDAY's show looks like this:

A BENEFIT FOR THE FREMONT, NH TOWN HALL HISTORICAL SOCIETY
STILL BETTER THAN THE BEATLES:
A TRIBUTE TO THE SHAGGS

On Friday April 13th, a collection of musicians from the rock, pop, jazz, blues, folk, metal, prog, & experimental worlds will be gathering together at The Bell House to pay tribute to the music of legendary 60's female power trio The Shaggs. Performers include Gary Lucas (Captain Beefheart/Jeff Buckley), Elliott Sharp, Chris Butler (The Waitresses), Supercute!, Laura Cromwell (God Is My Co-Pilot),Mike Fornatale (Moby Grape/The Monks), Ira Elliot (Nada Surf), Eric Slick (Dr. Dog), Julie Slick (Adrian Belew Power Trio), Weasel Walter (The Flying Luttenbachers), Christy & Emily, members of The Loser's Lounge, and many more.

The evening will conclude with a live Q&A session with Dot Semprini, Betty Porter, & Rachel Gould (aka The Wiggin Sisters) of The Shaggs.

The concert is being held in connection with The Fremont, NH Town Hall Historical Society, with proceeds to go to The Fremont, NH 250th Anniversary Committee - in honor of the The Shaggs' hometown and the location of many of their shows.

Gary Lucas (Captain Beefheart, Jeff Buckley) on guitars and vocals; Billy Ficca (Television) on drums; Ernie Brooks (Modern Lovers) on bass and vocals; Jason Candler (Hungry March Band) on alto sax; and Joe Hendel (Latest Show on Earth), trombone and keyboards. Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads) occasionally joins the group live on stage and in the studio on keyboards.

All Gary Lucas dates are listed below...

Continue reading "a Shaggs tribute tonight, a show with Jeff Lewis @ Joe's Pub & other upcoming Gary Lucas dates"

The National at Beacon Theater in 2011 (more by Toby Tenenbaum)

Doveman's Burgundy Stain Sessions at Le Poisson Rouge continue TONIGHT (4/13) with Aaron Dessner and Bryan Devendorf of The National, Julia Stone (of Angus and Julia Stone), Trixie Whitley, and more. Tickets for tonight's show, and for the next three, are still available.

In related news, Doveman collaborator and occasional Burgundy Stain Session player Dawn Landes also has a NYC show TONIGHT (4/13) at Mercury Lounge with Cheyenne Marie Mize and Donora. Tickets for tonight's show are still available. That same lineup also plays Cameo on Saturday (4/14). All Dawn Landes dates are listed below.

Tonight's Mercury Lounge show is an early show before Savoir Adore and Field Mouse play a late show at the same venue. Tickets for that show are still available too.

--
Doveman @ Le Poisson Rouge in 2011 (more by Toby Tenenbaum)

In more Doveman-related news, collaborator Glen Hansard is NOT currently on tour with Eddie Vedder, seeing as Vedder had to postpone the tour due to injury. Glen does have a new video for the track "Philander" off his upcoming Doveman (Thomas Bartlett)-produced solo album, Rhythm and Repose, which is due out June 19 via ANTI-. Check out that video below.

Meanwhile, Glen Hansard's Swell Season bandmate Marketa Irglova, who also contributed to his new album, will be WILL NOT BE the musical guest at the Happy Ending Music & Reading Series at Joe's Pub on May 2.... UPDATE: Marketa has cancelled and the guest is Clare and the Reasons instead. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Speaking of members of The National, Aaron Dessner and both Devendorf brothers recently joined The Grateful Dead's Bob Weir for a cover of Cass McCombs' "Love Thine Enemy" during a Bridge Sessions webcast. Meanwhile, Bryce Dessner joined Sufjan Stevens and Nico Muhly to perform a collaborative composition titled "Venus" with horn and string accompaniment at MusicNOW Festival in Cincinnati, OH. Videos of both of these performances are below.

Tickets are still on sale for the Dessner-curated Crossing Brooklyn Ferry Festival, which goes down from May 3-5 at BAM with St. Vincent, Sharon Van Etten, The Antlers, Atlas Sound, and more.

All Dawn Landes dates and National-related videos below...

Continue reading "Doveman & Dawn Landes shows, members of the National, Marketa Irglova & more"

"Two years after singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell released the ambitious and career-defining folk opera Hadestown - a musical retelling of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice set in Depression-era America - she's back with a decidedly different but equally ambitious effort, Young Man in America.

Produced by Todd Sickafoose, who also helmed Hadestown, the new album features several New York-based rock and experimental jazz musicians, and has Mitchell inhabiting several musical characters, male and female.

"The record is a reflection on our country as wild place, a not necessarily safe place, where it's each man for himself and you're not sure if anyone's got your back," the 30-year-old Mitchell said by phone from London, where she played a handful of shows before launching her 25-city U.S. tour this week."
[Philadelphia Inquirer]

Continue reading "Anais Mitchell is on tour, plays 2 record release shows at Joe's Pub tonight (dates)"

DOWNLOAD: Phantom Family Halo - "White Hot Gun" (MP3)

photos by Adam Cantor

Sohrab Habibian & JG Thirlwell @ Joe's Pub

The tribute to Brian Eno's Here Come the Warm Jets went down at Joe's Pub on January 8 to a sold out audience (that included Bradford Cox). As mentioned when we first posted about the show, contributing musicians included Travis Morrison (of The Dismemberment Plan), Sohrab Habibion (Obits), Jim Sclavunos (The Bad Seeds/Grinderman), Vernon Reid (Living Color), Paul Duncan (Warm Ghost), Dom Cipolla (Phantom Family Halo), and JG Thirlwell (aka Foetus). Pictures from the show, John Schaefer of WNYC included, are in this post. You can also look at the full setlist below.

Dom Cipolla's (who played the show) band Phantom Family Halo has a new album coming out, titled When I Fall Out, on February 14 via Knitting Factory Records. You can download the album track "White Hot Gun" above and stream it below. Phantom Family Halo have two upcoming NYC shows. One happens next week at Glasslands on January 16 with Our Mountain, Eraas, and Vensaire. Tickets are available. They also play Saint Vitus on February 11. Support TBA. Tickets are on sale.

More pics from the 'Here Come the Warm Jets' show, the setlist, and PFH song stream below...

Continue reading "Brian Eno was performed @ Joe's Pub -- pics & setlist (w/ JG Thirwell, Phantom Family Halo, Travis Morrison & more)"

by Andrew Sacher

Brian Eno - 'Here Come the Warm Jets'

In 1974, following his departure from Roxy Music, Brian Eno released his first solo album, Here Come the Warm Jets. The album (and its followup) is probably his most similar to the art rock of Roxy Music, before Brian began experimenting with soundscapes and eventually created some of our most interesting ambient music. Despite his large departure in sound from Here Come the Warm Jets, the material on that album has been a long lasting influence on indie rock, and like the show at the Rock Shop this past May, on January 8 at Joe's Pub, a number of indie rock musicians will honor the album and perform the entire thing. The contributing musicians include Travis Morrison (of The Dismemberment Plan, who also performed at the Rock Shop show), Sohrab Habibion (Obits), James Sclavunos (The Bad Seeds/Grinderman), Vernon Reid (Living Color), Paul Duncan (Warm Ghost), Dom Cippola (Phantom Family Halo), and JG Thirlwell (aka Foetus). Tickets for the show are on sale now.

I wonder who's going to handle Robert Fripp's guitar solos. They should have got St. Vincent for that...

Catch Obits on 12/30 at the Bell House with Ted Leo, and then at Cake Shop in March.

Some tracks from Here Come the Warm Jets below...

Continue reading "various peeps performing Eno's "Here Come the Warm Jets""

by Andrew Sacher

Marketa Irglova (aka 1/2 of The Swell Season) released her first solo album, Anar, this past October via ANTI-. Though she's credited as a main writer for a few of The Swell Season's songs, her personality as a songwriter comes through much stronger here than on any Swell Season album. The songs are all led by her piano which tends to suit her voice better than Glen Hansard's folk guitar. There's also a lot of early Joni Mitchell coming through and the horns on "Go Back" tread into Feist territory. The video for "Crossroads" is below and the album is available on iTunes.

She played some shows in November including one at Bowery Ballroom. She has a few upcoming dates in February including two in NYC happening on February 15 and February 22 at Joe's Pub. Tickets for both shows are on sale now.

In related news, the "Once" musical (which does not star Glen or Marketa) is running Off Broadway through January 15th. You'll have trouble getting a ticket to the remaining performances, BUT tickets are on sale now for the show's new home at the Bernard B Jacobs Theatre on Broadway. Broadway previews begin February 28th.

All Marketa dates and a video below...

Continue reading "'Once' musical moving to Broadway; Marketa Irglova schedules more live shows (dates)"

photos by David Andrako

The Barr Brothers @ Joe's Pub

The Barr Brothers are on a tour with Jocie Adams of the Low Anthem that hits Union Pool in Brooklyn tonight (12/8). As Bill wrote after seeing them recently in Montreal:

While not the type of music I normally listen to (KEXP/KCRW alt-folk), there is no denying they're skilled songwriters and a knockout live band. And clever arrangers too, prone to inventive instrumentation. In addition to a full-time harpist, Andrew Barr plays a "threaded" acoustic guitar which allows for a bowed-like sound, and homemade guitars and banjos. They really are great live and it won't be long before they are playing much bigger venues.

Continue reading "The Barr Brothers played Joe's Pub w/ Jocie Adams of Low Anthem (pics ++++ another show tonight)"

Justin Bond & Thomas Bartlett (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

As you may have noticed in What's Going on Sunday, both Allen Toussaint and Justin Vivian Bond played shows at Joe's Pub on Sunday.

Allen's show, entitled "A Southern Night", is part of "the Joe's Pub New York Voices series" and happens again three times this week. All three are still on sale (11/21, 11/22 & 11/23). The singer, pianist, songwriter, arranger and producer "will feature songs from the album as well as songs that relate to the Toussaint Family." His full list of dates is below.

Performance artist, comedian and singer Justin Bond is also playing more shows, and all with Thomas Bartlett on piano. Tickets are still available for November 27 and December 04.

Thomas Bartlett, aka Doveman, also has his own show coming up, another Burgundy Stain Session. No guests are announced yet but tickets for the December 1st show are on sale. (UPDATE: Loudon Wainwright & Hannah Cohen have been added to the December 1st show)

P.S. Happy 10th anniversary Brassland Records (who are giving away a song a day all this month including ones by Doveman)

P.S.S. Frequent Doveman collaborator Martha Wainwright is also in the midst of a residency that continues Monday night (11/21) at City Winery. Tickets are still on sale.

Continue reading "Allen Toussaint, Justin Vivian Bond & Doveman shows"

fDeluxe

"Melvoin and Peterson have put the Family back together but with a new moniker, fDeluxe. That's because of one other thing they have in common -- strained relationships with Prince, who founded the Family in 1985 and still owns the rights to the name. Melvoin was his fiancée and co-writer for a few years but eventually broke off their engagement. Peterson was a Prince protégé, plucked right from high school as a replacement in the Time for the filming of "Purple Rain" and groomed for the Family but he left for a solo career that included two national releases that didn't exactly take off.

So when it came time to ask permission to resurrect the Family, Peterson had a long visit at Paisley Park. "It was a good conversation," he said, referring to it as more man-to-man than mentor-to-pupil. But Prince said "no" --the same message he delivered to Melvoin when she reached out to him.

The new fDeluxe album, "Gaslight" -- which also features original Family members Eric Leeds (who has worked with Prince, Estaire Godinez, Sheila E and others) on saxophone and Jellybean Johnson (who still tours with Morris Day & the Time) on drums and guitar -- is both a continuation of the Family and a journey in new directions. In other words, it's got plenty of sanctified funk, dreamy pop, soulful duets and jazzy saxophone.

"I would say we paid 20 percent [attention] to the history of the Family record and the other 80 percent was really Paul and myself putting ourselves into a fully realized band," Melvoin said.

For the concerts (including gigs in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York), fDeluxe will feature material from both "Gaslight" and "The Family," including the R&B hit "Screams of Passion" and "Nothing Compares 2 U," which Prince wrote for Melvoin, long before he gave it to Sinéad O'Connor." [Star Tribune]

Joe's Pub, after closing for renovations, has re-opened tonight! Check their calendar for all upcoming shows (including a member of Band of Horses).

As previously mentioned, Joe's Pub is closing for renovations. Tonight, 7/1, is the final night of the club as we know it now, and they'll be hosting Canada Day bashes "featuring the Great Canadian Songbook" at both 6:30 and 9:00 pm...

produced and emcee'd by Jeff Breithaupt and featuring a stellar international line-up, including Tyley Ross (East Village Opera Company, The Who's Tommy), Greg Naughton (The Sweet Remains), singer-songwriters Jamie Leonhart, Joe Hurley, Anthony da Costa, and Kate Schutt, cabaret spitfire Shelley McPherson, Tony Salvatore (BETTY, Pleasuredog), Shannon Connolly (Lez Zeppelin), and chanteuses Lezlie Harrison, Melissa Stylianou, and Victoria Cave (Brooklyn Rundfunk Orkestrata, Cabaret, Steely Dan), all backed by the all-star "Workin' for the Weekend House Band" led by Music Director Peter Kiesewalter (Brooklyn Roadfunk Orkestrata, East Village Opera Company). Join the evening's sparkling cast as they lay down unforgettable versions of all your favorite Canuck anthems. From Cohen to Cockburn, Joni to Gino, Lightfoot to Lighthouse, Rufus to Raffi, Burton to Bryan, Nelly to Neil, you never know whose songs you might hear. Think you know The Great Canadian Songbook? You Ain't [Heard] Nothin' Yet.

The Joe's Pub shows are also the only place we could find that was actually celebrating Canada Day this year. There is a show in Prospect Park but it's not about Canada (it's reggae band Steel Pulse).

What did we miss?

Justin Bond aka Kiki DuRane aka Justin Vivian Bond, will be at Joe's Pub every Sunday through June 26. Tickets are available for 6/12, 6/19, and 6/26.

Justin will also be opening for legendary jazz vocalist Jimmy Scott at Duane Park Restaurant on june 21. 85-year old Scott also plays the Blue Note twice on June 23rd.

Catch Justin even sooner when he joins Rufus Wainwright and Liza Minelli as the special guests performing with Sandra Bernhard at Town Hall tonight (6/8).

Speaking of Joe's Pub and Wainwrights, tickets go on sale today (6/8) for the Summer Salon Series that Joe's Pub and The Annie O. Music Series are hosting at the Cooper Square Hotel. Why at the hotel? Because Joe's is closing for a few months...

Joe's Pub, a vital part of New York City's cultural landscape, announced a three month hiatus in programming, beginning July 2, to undertake an interior redesign and renovation. During this temporary closure, Joe's Pub will be continuing its dedication to presenting a wide variety of performing arts at affordable ticket prices to the New York and, specifically East Village community. Serving more than 100,000 audience members and presenting over 800 performances annually, this is the first time in 13 years of operation that Joe's Pub has closed its doors for an extended period of time.

"We knew our artists and audiences would be going through withdrawal this summer without the wealth of shows to choose from at Joe's Pub," said Joe's Pub Director Shanta Thake. "This summer salon series will be a great opportunity to see artists in an intimate space with beautiful views of the city while the staff of Joe's Pub prepares for our incredible fall programming."

The salon performances, which will take place in the hotel's scenic 21st-floor penthouse, are open to the public and will represent the quality and diversity of programming which is paramount to the mission of Joe's Pub. In addition to the performances, concert attendees will have access to a breathtaking, 360-degree view of Manhattan from the penthouse's floor-to-ceiling windows and wrap-around terrace. Drinks will be available for purchase from a full bar.

Martha Wainwright also plays a much sooner show at the same Cooper Square Hotel on June 19. The show is free with RSVP to info@goldve.com.

All Justin and Martha dates below...

Continue reading "Justin Bond & Jimmy Scott shows, Joe's Pub closing for repair, Martha Wainwright & others playing Cooper Square Hotel"

John Grant @ Swan Dive (more by Bill Pearis)

We actually had a post ready to go about how John Grant was coming back to the US to play some more shows including June 8th & 9th at Joe's Pub with his Bella Union labelmates Alessi's Ark and Heidi Spencer, but then John posted this message to Facebook...

"Um, just two minutes ago, at quarter to midnight I'm being told that my tour of the U.S. has been cancelled and I am in shock. But it's true, this is not a joke. Apparently there were no pre-sales to speak of and so they've decided to make this decision the night before I leave. Don't ask me any questions right now, I'm pissed off and need to find out more about wtf is going on."

Josh T. Pearson @ Swan Dive (more by Amanda Hatfield)

John Grant was at SXSW in March where he was backed by Midlake at a BV party at Swan Dive. Fellow singer-songwriter also known for being in a Bella Union-signed band who returned from a long hiatus in 2010 Josh T. Pearson played a BV party at the same venue the same week, and was, and still is, scheduled to play Joe's Pub one day after John was supposed to. Tickets are still on sale.

The NYC show is Josh's only US date. Check out a just-released Mute Session video of Josh playing "Sorry With A Song", below...

Continue reading "John Grant dates cancelled, Josh T. Pearson still happening"