photos by Dominick Mastrangelo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

photos by Amanda Hatfield

Here's a set of pictures that slipped through the cracks. The harmonizing ladies of Mountain Man, who will be touring with the Decemberists this year, headlined their own show at 92YTribeca back on 12/11. John Shade opened the night. His setlist and more pictures from the night below...

Continue reading "Mountain Man & John Shade @ 92YTribeca in NYC (pics) "

Ben Kweller just toured through NYC, hitting the Rock Shop in Park Slope for two performances on Saturday night (11/27). Those who chose the early show were treated to guest appearances by both Adam Green and John Shade (who has a show coming up with Mountain Man). Those who chose the late show also got Green and Shade, but won with an appearance by Conor Oberst who joined Ben for a rendition of Bright Eyes song "Another Travelin' Song." A video of that is below.

You might remember Bright Eyes as that band/project Conor led before he started calling himself by his actual name. You may remember seeing Ben Kweller and Conor Oberst play together on stage when Ben opened for Conor at Terminal 5 in 2008.

If my calculations are correct, it's been a bit over three years since "Bright Eyes" played NYC. That November 2007 show was at Radio City Music Hall with Thurston Moore and the Felice Brothers, and earlier that year Bright Eyes played seven nights in a row at Town Hall with special guests that included Britt Daniel, Ben Gibbard, and Ben Kweller.

On March 9, 2011 Bright Eyes will return to NYC and to Radio City Music Hall for a sort-of-all Merge Records bill that will include opening sets by Superchunk and Wild Flag (Conor put out a solo album on Merge and Wild Flag are signed to Merge too). Radio City tickets ranging in price from $25-$39.50 will go on general sale Saturday, December 4th, at 10am, but a presale begins somewhere on December 1st at noon for that show, and for Bright Eyes' only other scheduled gig: June 23rd at Royal Albert Hall in London. There's also an AmEx presale for the NYC show starting Wednesday at noon.

The UK and NYC shows will be in support of a brand new Bright Eyes album, that is coming out on Conor's label Saddle Creek on February 15th, 2011. It's called The People's Key...

"Since 2006 the once revolving cast of Bright Eyes players has settled around permanent members Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis and Nathaniel Walcott, with additional musicians joining them in the studio and on tour. Fully realized and bursting with charisma, The People's Key is an assured and accomplished album, artfully arranged and filled with the engaging and mesmeric songwriting for which Oberst is renowned. Recorded in Omaha, Nebraska, at the band's own ARC Studios, The People's Key was produced by Mike Mogis and engineered by Mogis and Andy LeMaster.

Additional Bright Eyes players on The People's Key: Andy LeMaster, (Now It's Overhead), Matt Maginn (Cursive), Carla Azar (Autolux), Clark Baechle (The Faint), Shane Aspegren (The Berg Sans Nipple), Laura Burhenn (The Mynabirds) and Denny Brewer (Refried Ice Cream)." - Saddle Creek

Full tracklist below.

The Radio City show is one day before Wild Flag (the Sleater-Kinney band) plays DC.

Ben Kweller opens for Pete Yorn at Terminal 5 on March 11th.

The Kweller/Oberst video, all dates, and the tracklist below...

Continue reading "Bright Eyes releasing an LP, playing Radio City w/ Superchunk & Wild Flag, Conor played w/ Ben Kweller @ the Rock Shop"

The Decemberists at Radio City Music Hall (more by Tim Griffin)

One week after The Decemberists welcome their new LP The King is Dead into this world (due 1/18/11) via Capitol Records, the band will hit the road for a string of US dates followed by European dates that will take them into middle March. The tour includes an NYC stop at Beacon Theater on January 25th. Tickets go on AmEx presale Wednesday November 17th at 10am, and then general sale Friday November 19th at 11am. All seats are $39.50.

Wye Oak will open the first part of their US tour, including in NYC. The duo released their EP My Neighbor, My Creator earlier this year via Merge Records. Mountain Man, who just got done touring with Jonsi (they opened the NYC show at Hammerstein Ballroom) will take over as openers for the Decemberists in Milwaukee.

Mountain Man won't be on board for the NYC date of the Decemberists tour, but they will play 92Y Tribeca on 12/11 with John Shade, their only current US headlining date (the band will head to Australia in the new year). Tickets are on sale.

All tour dates and a video is below...

Continue reading "The Decemberists announce a 2011 tour, Mountain Man announces a NYC show too (dates)"

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

Vernon & Shade

John Shade, who made his live debut at the BV/BP Haiti benefit at Music Hall of Williamsburg that Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) also played, recorded his debut album at Bon Iver's studio in Wisconsin late last year. Early this year, Shade recorded another version of the record (with string quartet) - it was produced by Paul Kolderie (Pixies, Radiohead, Hole, Dinosaur Jr, Warron Zevon, etc). Paul offered to make the record after coming to a John Shade gig in Boston. We posted an MP3 from that session in our announcement of John Shade's next (and 2nd) NYC show which happens (with string quartet) at Mercury Lounge tonight (Monday, 4/12). John also plays Lizard Lounge in Cambridge on Wednesday (4/14).

Justin Vernon and John Shade sat down (in front of their respective computers) and had an IM chat about various topics including John's new record, movies, books, and sometimes I'm not sure what. That conversation, and more (never-before-seen) pictures from the Haiti benefit, below...

Continue reading "John Shade in conversation with Justin Vernon"

DOWNLOAD: John Shade - Here I Am (MP3)

John Shade @ MHOW in Jan (more by Paul Birman)

John Shade, project of songwriter Dave Godowsky, made his live debut at the BrooklynVegan/Bowery Presents Haiti relief benefit at Music Hall of Williamsburg in January. His 2nd NYC show will take place at Mercury Lounge on Monday, April 12th.

John Shade's new song "Here I Am" (downloadable above) was arranged by Zack Hickman (Josh Ritter's bassist) who will be playing bass with Shade at the NYC gig. The Neave Quartet (a string quartet) will also be part of his band like they were when he performed four shows recently in Boston and one in Maine. Sean Greenhalgh of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah will be on drums. Tickets for the NYC show are on sale (Soft Landing and Actualities are also on the bill).

Shade's debut, All You Love Is Need, is available as a name-your-price download. As Shade pointed out on stage at Music Hall in January, that price can be free if you want, or as he writes...

If you'd like to pay for the album (and help defray recording costs...) enter any amount from $0.01 to $1,000,000.

Or just enter $0.00! But if you do that, you have to promise to rave to your friends about how amazing the album is.

John's only other upcoming date is an April 14th show in Cambridge, Mass. A video of his live debut (which featured Justin Vernon on drums) is posted below...

Continue reading "John Shade schedules a NYC show (with full band & string quartet) + an MP3, his free album, and one more date"

photos by Paul Birman

"Thanks to everyone who came to the BV Haiti benefit last night. You made it really special." - St. Vincent

"St. Vincent and Justin Vernon performing together was easily one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen/heard." - Steph Lo

Wyatt Cenac was funny. Then came Britt Daniel (of Spoon) with White Rabbits frontman Stephen Patterson. They had such a good time on stage together, you can tell they were buds. Janeane Garofalo came next - she has the smartest humor and is a strong rooted New Yorker. Made a ton of jokes about the L train and hipsters which the crowd took very warmly to. Gosh she's tiny. St Vincent went on and sounded like the lovely thing she is. Someone yelled while she was setting up 'show us your bush'????', In which she replied, 'that is the strangest thing someone has ever said to me...on or off stage'. Adorable. Following her was Zach Galifianakis who everyone was undeniably waiting for. It really looked like he just rolled out of bed, picked up some papers from a table and walked on stage totally winging his whole act...hilarious. Alas came Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver). His voice sounded just as amazing it does on record. The room was at its most quiet during "Flume". Unreal. He was the last act but did say something about a special guest - I heard it was Megafaun/My Brightest Diamond (had to leave early), which I imagine rounded out the benefit nicely. Really awesome that these guys all came together"...
[Stadiums & Shrines]

Thanks for that partial recap S&S. You should have gotten there earlier and stayed later though!

The night opened with a great debut set by singer-songwriter John Shade (previously Dave Godowsky) who brought out Justin Vernon on drums for two songs. Before and after John, and between every set of the night, came comedy by our two able hosts: Bobby Tisdale and Leo Allen. St Vincent's set included a National and a Nico cover. Justin covered John Prine. Britt Daniel did three songs, which was one less than he played at Sound Fix a few hours earlier.

And yep, the special guest after/during Justin's set was in fact Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) who (after headlining Bowery Ballroom one night earlier) played two jaw dropping numbers - one with Colin Stetson on his most-insane giant saxophone, and a cover of Prince's "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore".

But it didn't end there. A supergroup called Songer Singwriter featuring Annie, Justin, drummer, and Brad from Megafaun came back to close the night off right with a set of four more covers. Neil Young's "Harvest Moon", Tom Petty's "Face in the Crowd" (with Brad on lead), Dolly Parton's "Jolene", and Annie Lennox's "Why". Each of those final covers was better than the next. To quote one of my tweets, "To quote my friend, 'Sounds like sonic youth playing a dolly parton song. Sick!' and now Annie Lennox Why! Full room Bon Iver singalong".

We ran almost non-stop for 3.5 hours straight (8-11:30), and raised over $20,000. I'm still waiting for an exact number. More pictures (one of two sets we have) and some videos from the show, below....

Continue reading "Britt Daniel, Justin Vernon, St Vincent, Zach Galifianakis, Janeane Garofalo & others raised money for Haiti @ MHOW - pics & video "

I am very happy to announce....

A Night of Comedy and Music to Benefit Haiti
Presented By Bowery Presents and BrooklynVegan
With short sets by:
Zach Galifianakis, Britt Daniel (of Spoon), Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), St. Vincent, Janeane Garofalo, Wyatt Cenac (of the Daily Show), the live debut of John Shade (ex Dave Godowsky) & possibly more TBA (stay tuned)

Venue: Music Hall of Williamsburg
Date: Sat 1/23 (AKA IN LESS THAN TWO DAYS)
Notes: 18+, Doors 6:30 PM / Show 8:00 PM

Tickets (on sale Friday at noon) are only going to be $35 in advance, and $40 at the door if there are any left. A more expensive VIP option will be available so we can raise as much money as possible. 100% of the proceeds will be split between an orphanage in Haiti (that Zach chose) and the Red Cross.

Note: this show is not to be confused North 6th for Haiti (1/27 @ MHOW) which will also be announced any second (and is already on Ticketmaster)

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We were lucky to get Justin Vernon who was in town just long enough after tonight's appearance (1/21) for the NY Guitar Festival.

Spoon was also in town tonight for a show, and Britt Daniel will be playing a show at Sound Fix that same day at 7pm (1/23).

Zach Galifianakis speaks to Natalie Portman in the video below...

Continue reading "Haiti benefit SATURDAY NIGHT (Zach Galifianakis, Britt Daniel, Justin Vernon, St Vincent, Janeane Garofalo & more) "