Gorillaz at MSG in 2010

As mentioned, the 2013 Lincoln Center Festival is taking place this July. Tickets to all shows in the festival go on sale today (4/8).

The shows include Monkey: Journey to the West, created by theater director Chen Shi-Zheng teamed up with Gorillaz members Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, which runs for the entire span of the festival from July 6-28. It also includes SInead O'Connor: The Gospel Sessions at Alice Tully Hull's Starr Theatre from July 26-27, and Zorn@60 in celebration of John Zorn's 60th birthday at Alice Tully Hall on July 18 and 20.

The festival also features the US premiere of Karlheinz Stockhausen's Michaels Reise Um Die Erde with German ensemble musikFabrik on July 18 and 20 at Avery Fisher Hall, and Mongolia's Hanggai Band at Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse on July 16, and still more. Full program schedule HERE.

Monkey: Journey to the West

Damon Albarn has never had a problem proving his versatility. The Blur frontman's side projects have encompassed everything from cult animators to African drummers, so it seems apt that his latest attempt at a cross-cultural balancing act culminates in a teetering tableau of spinning dishes.

Monkey: Journey to the West features music by Albarn with designs by Gorillaz collaborator Jamie Hewlett, and was conceived and directed by the Chinese opera specialist Chen Shi-Zheng. Co-commissioned by the Manchester International Festival, the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and the Staatsoper Berlin, it's a high-octane, 90-minute rock'n'roll circus, performed in Mandarin and featuring over 50 Chinese acrobats, martial arts experts and a team of tiny contortionists so pliable they could have flown over as cabin luggage. - [The Guardian, June 2007}

The Festival also includes Sinéad O'Connor: The Gospel Sessions where the Irish singer explores the American gospel soul. That happens at Alice Tully Hall's Starr Theatre on July 26 - 27.

There's also Zorn@60, which celebrates John Zorn's 60th birthday with two concerts at Alice Tully Hall on July 18 and 20. The first night (7/18) features a female vocal quintet performing Zorn's Song of Song and his latest mystery play, The Holy Visions.The second night (7/20) features Zorn's complete string quartets performed together for the very first time.

Also at the Festival: the U.S. premiere of Karlheinz Stockhausen's Michaels Reise Um Die Erde which features German contemporary music ensemble musikFabrik (July 18 & 20 at Avery Fisher Hall); and Mongolia's Hanggai Band at Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse on July 16.

Full program schedule and dates are here. Tickets to all Lincoln Center Festival performances are currently on sale for Friends of Lincoln Center, and the general on-sale happens April 8.

via @theluyas

Rockwood Music Hall is open again.

Power is back to most of Manhattan following four days of blackout in half the borough, with ConEd promising to have everywhere in the city back on by tonight and things are starting to get back to normal, though the Subways aren't quite there yet -- though the 4, 5, 6 and 7 lines are up and running. Current subway outage map is here.

Tomorrow's NYC Marathon is cancelled, though, as you probably have heard.

Here's our list of things happening or not happening in NYC on Saturday (11/3).

The Lower East Side early Friday evening and Cake Shop is open and tonight's free show with Montreal's The Luyas is on. Making it even more Canadian is Vancouver's Peace. The show is FREE and starts early (Luyas are at 8 PM) and there will be a donation box that goes to New Amsterdam Records' relief fund.

Later that night at Cake Shop (and not free) it's Home Blitz, and Watery Love.

As previously announced, Peace are also playing Pianos tonight at 10 PM and that's a free show too. on a diverse bill that also features Jennifer Stuart & the Design, Myra Flynn, and Randall Shreve & the Sideshow. (Peace play again at Death By Audio on Monday).

Next door, The Living Room is also back in business with James van Cuylenburg (of The Tealeaves), Chris Riffle, Deni Bonet and New Ponies.

The same goes for East Village club The Stone that will hold a Hurrican Relief benefit tonight at 8 PM, featuring John Zorn (sax) Joel Rubin (clarinet) James Moore (guitar) Ikue Mori (electronics) Sylvie Courvoisier (piano) Jeremiah Cymerman (clarinet) Brian Chase (drums) Eyal Maoz (guitar) Tim Keiper (drums) Jon Madof (guitar) James Ilgenfritz (bass) and many special guests. Then at 10 PM, it's Anthony Coleman.

It looked like Santos was going to be open for tonight Shiny Toy Guns, Colourmusic and MNDR show, but the venue just tweeted, "Due to complications in the wake of Sandy, we regret to announce that our events for this wknd are canceled. Refer to site for more info." Show has been moved to Monday, November 5.

Mercury Lounge is open but tonight's Anaka show has been postponed till December 2. The early show with Gangstagrass and The Newton Gang is still on.

Bowery Ballroom is back tonight with their first post-Sandy/blackout show: Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Ava Luna.

STS9 plays Best Buy Theater in Times Square.

Sunshine Cinema on Houston is open for business but the BV-presented screenings of Miami Connection have been rescheduled for next weekend (11/9, 11/10).

Bowery Electric is now actually electric again, but tonight's David Johansen show with Romans and Kay Kasperhausen has been postponed.

Joe's Pub is back in business and tonight they have Jack Hitt: Making Up the Truth.

Le Poisson Rouge's power is back on and tonight's FIXED show is happening with The Magician. This past Tuesday's cancelled Kitsune event with The Twelves and Yuksek has been rescheduled for Sunday, November 4th at LPR (New Moods are no longer on the bill).

Peter Wolf's shows at City Winery tonight and tomorrow are cancelled.

Webster Hall has power and though there's no show in the main space tonight, The Studio will be open with Gallows, Barn Burner, For Sleeping or Jumping, and DeathThrob.

The Jefferson Starship show that was to happen at The Concert Hall at New York Society for Ethical Culture is being postponed to a later date TBA.
Metropolitan Talent reports:

Due to Hurricane Sandy related logistical challenges, the following concerts in New York City are postponed:

Thursday, Nov. 1 Rickie Lee Jones - rescheduled for 11/14
The Concert Hall at New York Society for Ethical Culture

Friday, Nov. 2 Blackmore's Night - new date tba
The Concert Hall at New York Society for Ethical Culture

Saturday, Nov. 3 Jefferson Starship - new date tba
The Concert Hall at New York Society for Ethical Culture

Friday, Nov 9 Little Feat & Leon Russell - new date tba
Hammerstein Ballroom

Citizen Cope at Beacon Theatre has been postponed, date still TBD.

The Dethklok / All That Remains / Machine Head / The Black Dahlia Murder that was to happen tonight at Roseland has bee postponed till Dec. 14. TIckets will be honored. This is the 2nd Dethklok show in a row at Roseland cancelled or postponed.

Matisyahu at Starland Ballroom, like the two Social Distortion shows before it, is cancelled.

Henry Rollins appears to still be appearing in Trenton, NJ tonight.

George Lopez's gig at Wellmont Theater on Saturday is postponed to 2/23/2013, and his Capitol Theater show will instead happen 2/22.

Maxwell's in Hoboken is still closed.

Teebs and Reggie Watts play a party in Long Island City.

Meanwhile in Brooklyn, most venues are up and running.

Galapagos in DUMBO, which was ravaged by the storm, is back open tonight with Floating Kabarrette.

Shellshag are at XPO 929.

Free show at the Bell House in Brooklyn tonight with The Stompin Riff Raffs and Daddy Long Legs. The show previously cost money and had T Valentine on the bill.

Wabasco Burlesque at Union Hall.

The Rock Shop is open.

Littlefield is hosting a Stache Bash.

Savoir Adore and Slowdance play the Brooklyn Museum with Jarana Beat. It's a free show that begins at 5 PM.

The Brooklyn Botanical Garden is open and free.

Union Pool has Wolvhammer, Kreig, Doomsday, part of their BV-presented tour.

Music Hall of Williamsburg plays host to Woods, Widowspeak (who went Star Wars for Halloween), and Purling Hiss.

Knitting Factory is having a benefit for the Rockaways with Vast Aire, The Kominas and more.

Fagettes, Baroque Punk, and Dirty Virgins play Death By Audio

285 Kent will be pumping tonight to the sounds of Zomby, DJ Rashad, Massacooramaan, and J-Cush

Around the corner at Glasslands, it's Lazyeyes, The Doorbells, and The Midnight Hollow.

S. 5th St loft space Dead Herring plays host to Dead Stars, Little Radar, Anchorline, and Elliot & the Ghost. More info here.

At Cameo tonight, they have Eyes Lips Eyes, Leverage Models, and Beast Patrol early, and then at midnight it's indipop dance party Mondo! NYC.

Landlady and Marble Fawn are at Pine Box Rock Shop

At Le Loft (252 Norman in Greenpoint), it's Pretty & Nice, MiniBoone, Grooms, and Earthquake Party. More info here.

Shea Stadium has Sidekicks, Glocca Morra, Radiator Hospital and Brick Mower. More info here.

Over at Big Snow Buffalo Lodge, it's Celestial Shore, Grass Is Green, Baked, Highway Gimps.

Paper Diamond are at Brooklyn Bowl.

Zebulon is open and wants you to dance. DJ Tropical Jeremy provides the music.

Barbes in Park Slope is open with Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica and Banda Sinaloense De Los Banda Sinaloense De Los Muertos.

UCB West and East are open. The Pit too.

The Nets play their postponed first game of the season tonight at Barclays Center.

What else?

John Zorn

On October 10, Le Poisson Rouge is hosting 'Save The Village: A Benefit Concert,' which will feature performances from avant-garde saxist John Zorn, Thurston Moore (who plays with his band Chelsea Light Moving at 285 Kent tonight [9/12]), guitarist Jesse Harris, TriBeCaStan, Flutterbox, and performance artist John Kelly. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

The benefit goes to support NYU Faculty Against the Sexton Plan:

NYU Faculty Against the Sexton Plan is a group of over 400 of NYU's own faculty members who are working together to fight NYU's outrageous multi-billion-dollar expansion in Greenwich Village. The Sexton Plan, we believe, is financially reckless (and will certainly result in rising tuition at a school where the students are the most heavily indebted in nation), disregards faculty input and governance, will further erode the rich cultural history of the Village, and will bring more than 10,000 more people in foot traffic per day to an already over-developed area with little green space, amongst other harmful effects. We want NYU's administration to focus on education, not real estate.

John Zorn's next performance at The Stone (the venue that he founded and performs at regularly) happens this Saturday (9/15) with Ikue Mori (of DNA and many other things) and Sylvie Courvoisier, who has collaborated with both John and Ikue in the past.

Another upcoming show at The Stone this month is Marc Ribot (who we just mentioned will be one of the guests at the upcoming Medeski Martin & Wood residency) and Roy Nathanson on September 19. In October, The Stone is being curated by Secret Chiefs 3 member Timba Harris, and shows include Kayo Dot plays Toby Driver's "In The L..L..Library Loft" on October 6, Secret Chiefs 3 plays "Masada" on October 11 and a lot of other Secret Chiefs 3 related shows, notably frontman Trey Spruance playing the following day (10/12), Harvester (aka Nate Wooley, C. Spencer Yeh, and Ryan Sawyer) on October 14, BloodMist (whose lineup includes Toby Driver) on October 16, John Zorn's annual Halloween Improv NIght (10/31), and many others.

A video of John Zorn's Naked City playing a full concert in NYC from 1992 is below.

Continue reading "John Zorn, Thurston Moore & others playing "Save the Village" ++ upcoming shows at The Stone (Timba Harris curates in Oct)"

by Andrew Frisicano

Joshua Light Show in action

The Joshua Light Show, founded by multimedia artist Joshua White, is perhaps the most legendary group of live music visualists. As resident artists at Bill Graham's Fillmore East during the late 1960's, and in performances at Woodstock, Newport Jazz Festival, Tanglewood, Carnegie Hall, and the classic film Midnight Cowboy, White and his cohorts created live, colorful, psychedelic projections behind the great bands of that era including the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors and The Who.

The bill here has the members of MGMT billed individually, but they'll be performing as a band at Osheaga Fest on August 3 in Montreal, and at Sands Steel Stage at PNC Plaza in Bethlehem, PA, on August 5. Tickets to that are on sale.

The full schedule and video of a recent Joshua White art installation are below.

Continue reading "Lou Reed, John Zorn, MGMT and more collaborating with Joshua Light Show for NYC performances in September"

by Andrew Sacher

Buke and Gase at Prospect Park in 2011 (more by Toby Tenebaum)

Buke and Gase will be curating The Stone from tonight (5/1) to May 15. The curation kicks off tonight with Father Murphy at 8 PM and Les Bonhommes at 10 PM.

After tonight's show, Father Murphy, who are here from Italy, head out on tour with Xiu Xiu and Dirty Beaches (which hits Bowery Ballroom this Friday 5/4). Their album was mixed by Deerhoof's Greg Saunier who is one third of, but not the drummer of, Les Bonhommes (that also features William Kuehn from Rainer Maria).

Other performances throughout the week include former Parts & Labor noisemaker Dan Friel and Bunnybrains on 5/4; a Tonic reunion featuring Mephista with John Zorn, Steve Bernstein's MTO and more; Extra Life's Charlie Looker, Greg Fox, & Jamie Saft and Glass Ghost on 5/11, gonzo drummer Greg Fox and Hubble on 5/12, a powerhouse grouping of Ryan Sawyer, Colin Stetson, Nate Wooley, C. Spencer Yeh Quartet on 5/13, and Matana Roberts and Ches Smith on 5/15, among others.

Buke & Gase don't actually play any of the shows they curated but they do play the Dessner-curated Crossing Brooklyn Ferry fest on May 4 at BAM.

The second half of May at the Stone is curated by Gyan Riley.

Check out the full schedule below...

Continue reading "Buke & Gase curating The Stone's first two week's in May"

Japanese musician/composer Ryuichi Sakamoto (who is a member of Yellow Magic Orchestra and has scored many films) is curating and performing at the next six days of performances at The Stone starting TONIGHT (4/24). Tonight it's just Sakamoto. On Wednesday (4/25) he'll be joined by Stone director John Zorn and Mayo Yamaguchi. On Thursday (4/26) by Aya Nishina, on Friday (4/27) by Taylor Deupree, on Saturday (4/28) by Otomo Yoshihide, and on Sunday (4/29) by Stephen Vitiello. Tickets are only available at the door, day of the show.

Some videos and the flier for Ryuichi Sakamoto's curation of The Stone below...

Continue reading "Ryuichi Sakamoto curating/performing @ the Stone for 6 days"

by Andrew Sacher

"So, um, yeah that was Kim Gordon who just walked by me and then got on stage to play one Kraftwerk song. This not happen again." - Joel Mellin

Sonic Youth at Williamsburg Waterfront in 2011 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and avant-garde musician/composer John Zorn will team up for a benefit for The Poetry Project at St. Mark's Church on May 4 with John on reeds and Thurston on electric guitar. The show will begin with an opening set of poetry by LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs, Erica Kaufman & Dana Ward, and will be hosted by John S. Hall. The performance will be in the Sanctuary with drinks served before and after the show in The Parish Hall. Beer will be provided by Brooklyn Brewery and wine by City Winery. Tickets are on sale now.

In other Sonic Youth-related news, Steve Shelley kicks off a tour as the drummer of Disappears in Chicago tonight in support of their new album, Pre Language, which is the first recorded with Steve. The tour is with Lotus Plaza and hits NYC on Thursday (4/19) at Glasslands with Noveller. Tickets are still available.

Meanwhile, the Lee Ranaldo Band will hit the road next month with M. Ward in support of Lee's new album, Between the Time and the Tides. That tour hits NYC on 5/11 at Webster Hall and is sold out. Lee also opens four of the just-announced Wilco shows including two in NY and one in CT. Check out the video for "Off the Wall," which includes live footage from Glasslands, along with the four Wilco dates listed, below.

As for Kim, to coincide with Kraftwerk's MoMA residency, a tribute show for the band went down this past Tuesday (4/10) at Littlefield and featured a performance by an altered lineup of Free Kitten (billed as Free Kitten[esque] with Kim Gordon, Julie Cafritz and Pete Nolan of Magick Markers. Check out video footage of that tribute show below and skip to the 1:29 mark for Free Kitten[esque]'s take on Kraftwerk's "Heavy Metal Kids."

In other Sonic Youth news, a 13-year old "fan" wrote them a letter about their unfortunate lack of talent which the band posted to their facebook page and you can read here:

Our fan's writing:

"I'm going to be 100% honest with you.
I'm 13. I have a little band. We are so much better than you. Honestly. You are the worst band I have ever seen in your entire life. You are worse than Rebecca Black. The bass player just hacks the bass and plays one chord. The guitar players are playing out of tune guitars and... well not even playing actually chords. I couldn't sound worse if I tried. It actually sounds like a joke to me. The drummer is okay. But honestly the vocalist is completely out of tune. Oh and The Black keys have two people and are better than you.

From: Me, and pretty much everyone else who has accidentally stumbled upon your terrible music."

Videos below...

Continue reading "a Thurston Moore & John Zorn show; Lee Ranaldo and Wilco; a 13 year old Sonic Youth hater & other news"

Liturgy at Webster Hall in February (more by Amanda Hatfield)

If you've noticed a handful of interesting shows at The Stone happening next week, like the acoustic Vaura show (4/20) or the Amen Dunes and Guardian Alien show (4/17), they're part of Chippy Fest, which goes down at John Zorn's non-profit venue from April 17-22, and was curated by John Zorn's exclusive designer Heung-Heung Chin (aka Chippy)

On April 21, the night after Vaura plays, Toby Driver (who is a member of Vaura and also fronts Kayo Dot/maudlin of the Well) will present the world premiere of his new trio, Ichneumonidae, which includes violinist Timba Harris (of Secret Cheifs 3) and Michelle Morinaga. That same night, Toby also plays as a member of Stern with Chuck Stern, Keith Abrams, and Tim Byrnes.

As mentioned, Kayo Dot, Vaura, and Dysrhythmia share a bill at DBA on 4/28.

Other 'Chippy Fest' shows include Mick Barr (of Krallice), Hunter Hunt-Hendrix (of Liturgy), and Nymph on Wednesday (4/18) and Miho Hatori (with Ahmed Gallab of Yeasayer), Timo Ellis, and Unstoppable Death Machines on Thursday (4/19). The Stone's full calendar is here.

Speaking of Mick Barr, his music and William Brittelle's music will be performed by ACME: American Contemporary Music Ensemble on May 11 at 12 at The Kitchen. ACME players for this concert are Caleb Burhans (violin, banjo, and voice), Clarice Jensen (cello), Eric Lamb (flute), Megan Levin (harp), Caroline Shaw (violin), Nadia Sirota (viola) and Chris Thompson (percussion). Tickets are on sale now.

Speaking of Hunter Hunt-Hendrix, he kicks off a residency at Issue Project Room on Saturday (4/14) with Liturgy bandmate Bernhard Gann. The show is free but "sold out". Other dates in the "3-month residency" have not been announced yet but presumably will be soon.

Meanwhile, Hunter's ex-bandmate Greg Fox's Guardian Alien project (who also plays The Stone next week) plays Death by Audio TONIGHT (4/13) with Black Pus (of Lightning Bolt), Mounds, Buck Gooter, and Alien Whale. Guardian Alein will return to DBA on 5/11 with DJ Dog Dick and 2 Ton Bug.

Anand Wilder with Yeasayer at Jones Beach in July (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

The record label David Byrne started in 1988, Luaka Bop, has been curating the club John Zorn started, The Stone, since December 15. If you've been paying close attention to What's Going On posts, you may have noticed more familiar names on the lineups lately (like Lucky Dragons and Kelly Pratt who have both played so far).

The curation continues through the end of the month. Tonight (12/20), Anand Wilder of Yeasayer is playing with Steve Marion of Delicate Steve, and Austin Fisher of Suckers, performing songs they've written specifically for tonight's performance. Steve leads his own group at the venue on 12/27 with members of Banned Books. Also tonight, George Langford and Tom Van Buskirk of Javelin and friends are playing. Those friends include Ahmed Gallab of Yeasayer, Powpow of Man Man, and Miho Hatori of Cibo Mato. According to George, it's going to be an "electronic drum circle rave cave."

On Thursday (12/22), Sleepy Doug Shaw/Highlife is playing. On Friday (12/23), The Present, lead by Rusty Samtos Rusty is playing the venue. Rusty is a singer/songwriter and has produced Animal Collective, Panda Bear, Born Ruffians, Owen Pallet, and others. On 12/28, Hubble (aka Ben Greenberg of Pygmy Shrews and Zs), and on 12/29 it will be Marc Ribot and David Hidalgo.

The Stone will also host their annual end of the year improv party on December 30 and 31 with tons of musicians and special guests including Thurston Moore, John Zorn, Jeremiah Cymerman, Sam Kulik, Ned Rothenburg, Eyal Maoz, David Fulmer, and others. Starting at 11 PM on 12/31, Spiritual Unity (which features Marc Ribot) will perform a ritual/jam that leads through a midnight rendition of Albert Ayler's "Bells."

Check out the full December schedule and more details on these shows at The Stone's website.

Javelin also have a show coming up on 2/24 at Glasslands with Pat Jordache.

UPDATE: All events at the Stone tonight are now cancelled.

Like Death By Audio, Manhattan's non-profit avant-garde venue The Stone is staying open Saturday night, and it's sure to be a very special show. Not only will those in attendance all have 'braving the hurricane' in common, it's the monthly...

JOHN ZORN IMPROV NIGHT--A STONE BENEFIT--PLEASE NOTE THERE WILL BE NO 10PM SHOW! 8PM ONLY!
John Zorn (sax) David Konopnicki (guitar) Steve Swell (trombone) Ikue Mori (electronics) Shanir Blumenkranz (bass) Dougie Bowne (drums) Dave Miller (drums) Erik Friedlander (cello) Anthony Coleman (piano) Dave Scanlon (guitar) Annie Gosfield (keyboards) Jon Madof (guitar) and many special guests

WITH AN INCREASE IN EXPENSES AND A DROP IN OUR CD INCOME WE NEED YOUR HELP MORE THAN EVER TO SURVIVE--SO COME DOWN AND SUPPORT THE STONE AT OUR MONTHLY RENT PARTY! TWENTY DOLLARS

UPDATE:

THE STONE WILL BE CLOSED SATURDAY TO MONDAY AUGUST 27-29
These concerts have been canceled out of respect to MOTHER NATURE. HURRICANE IRENE is expected to strike six hours ahead of schedule at 9PM on Saturday night.
PLEASE STAY INDOORS AND STAY SAFE!
WE WILL REOPEN ON TUESDAY AUGUST 30

As previously mentioned, August at the Stone was curated by Carlos Giffoni and Seth Rosner. Tuesday's show features Ches Smith (drums) Tim Berne (alto sax) Nels Cline, Mary Halvorson (guitars), and Andrea Parkins (accordion). Shahzad Ismaily plays later that night. Wednesday, the last day of the month, has Jen Shyu and Tyshawn Sorey.

September is curated by Jon Abbey and Brian Brandt.

The long wait is finally over! Roulette re-opens - bigger and better than ever - in Downtown Brooklyn. With a newly renovated Art Deco concert hall, seating for up to 400 people (600 standing!), expanded multi-channel sound system, massive projection screen for film and multi-media events, state-of-the-art lighting system, modular stage, and a specially designed floor to accommodate dance - the new Roulette promises to be one of the most exciting places in New York City to experience adventurous music and art. Join us as we kick off our inaugural season with a huge four day Grand Opening Celebration!

The re-opening will be celebrated with four events from September 15 to September 18. On 9/15, Kaija Saariaho, Margaret Leng Tan, Henry Threadgill & Zooid, and Mark Feldman and Sylvie Courvoisier will play the venue (tickets). The 9/16 show will feature ETHEL, Marc Ribot: Film Noir Project, and Shelley Hirsch w/ Fred Frith (tickets). On 9/17, Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed, and John Zorn will play (tickets) and on 9/18 Cosa Brava (featuring Fred Frith, Carla Kihlstedt, Zeena Parkins, Matthias Bossi, and the Norman Conquest) will play (tickets).

Thurston at MHOW in May (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Dinosaur Jr. brought their "Bug" tour to Calvin Theatre in Northampton, MA last night (6/21). They were supported by Northampton resident Thurston Moore who played a "Demolished Thoughts"-heavy set before Henry Rollins took the stage for a live interview of the headliners (which was followed by a set of spoken word).

A friend and casual fan texted me during the Whole Children benefit show. He said, "Henry Rollins just interviewed dino jr for 30 minutes. People are starting to get antsy." That said, afterwards I got a "show was great." Hartford Courant reports:

[Dinosaur Jr.] dispelled the awkwardness when the musicians came out to play, charging through a pair of post-"Bug" songs including "The Wagon," a wistful melody cutting through a churning blend of bass, drums and singer J Mascis' super-heated guitar.

Next came "Bug," the last album the original lineup of the band released before Mascis kicked out bassist Lou Barlow, leading to years of enmity before Mascis, Barlow and drummer Murph regrouped in 2005.

It sounded on "Bug" as though someone remembered belatedly to turn on the house PA system: everything was suddenly louder and crisper, with overpowering blasts of guitar pushed to the brink of feedback on "Freak Scene," the booming crack of Murph's drums on "Yeah We Know" and guitar squall worthy of an army of screeching wildcats on "Let It Ride."

On "Don't," the last song on the original version of "Bug" (the 2005 reissue included an extra track the band didn't play), Barlow invited a fan to help shriek the lyrics in his place after the bassist blew out his voice doing the song Monday night in Maine. Not only did the fan look a little like Barlow, with a big mess of curly hair, he took to the part like a Method actor, howling into the microphone and eventually shedding his shirt as the band thrashed around behind him.

Dinosaur returned after a pause for two more songs, ending with its cover of the Cure's Just Like Heaven."

Thurston doesn't appear on any of the other dates on the tour, but he does play a different type of show tonight (6/22) in NYC. The show is the first of four benefits at PS 122. He performs tonight, along with John Fleck, the TEAM, Temporary Distortion, Yoshiko Chuma, and many others. Other notable appearances include Reggie Watts (who plays Summerstage tonight) on Thursday (6/23) and Amanda Palmer (who plays Maxwell's tonight) and John Zorn on Saturday (6/25). Tickets are still available. Full PS122 Benefit lineup below.

Thurston also plays Fallon tonight (6/22) (Bon Iver played last night).

La Blogotheque recently filmed Thurston at his NYC apartment for the Take Away Shows. He played "Benediction," "Blood Never Lies" and "Circulation" off the new album and talked about getting his start in New York City, CBGB, and the like. To quote Matador, "These videos are essential viewing, complete with shots of Manhattan's streets, Thurston's reminiscences on his early days in the city and some insights into the record." Watch the videos below.

Thurston heads out on his tour with Kurt Vile soon. That tour doesn't hit NYC but Kurt is also on the bill for the Sonic Youth show at Williamsburg Waterfront with Wild Flag. Tickets for the Brooklyn show are still available. All tour dates below.

Meanwhile, Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon's daughter Coco Gorden Moore is currently fronting the Massachusetts punk band Big Nils. Their album Sibling is streaming on their bandcamp and is available for a $5 digital download. We recently heard from Coco when she performed in the band She Murders at the Kathleen Hanna tribute at Knitting Factory in December.

And as mentioned, Thurston's Sonic Youth-bandmate Steve Shelley plays this Friday (6/24) at Death By Audio with his band Spectre Folk. The bill also includes Sic Alps, Weekends, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

All Thurston dates, PS122 lineup and videos below...

Continue reading "Thurston Moore opened for Dinosaur Jr. & Henry Rollins, playing Fallon & the 1st of 4 PS122 benefits (tonight)"

NYC's Abrons Arts Center is hosting two Japan benefits on April 8th...

More than a dozen innovative artists at the intersection of indie rock, contemporary jazz, and avant-garde performance will come together at Abrons to present a benefit concert to support recovery efforts in Japan. "The tragedy and devastation is really overwhelming," says John Zorn, who has organized and will host the evening. "I've always felt a strong personal connection to Japan, and I'm just glad to be able to do my part to help. It should be an amazing night."

The lineup includes feature performances by Grammy award winning Norah Jones, Jesse Harris, and the influential Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth). An early and late show will feature two different sets by Ikue Mori and John Zorn, Vinicius Cantuaria, Masada String Trio, Buke and Gass, and many more.

Both the performers and the theater are donating their services, ensuring that 100% of proceeds from ticket sales will go to benefit the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that hit near Sendai on March 11. Funds will be donated to the Japan Society's Earthquake Relief Fund.

And in case there was any doubt, Buke & Gass will in fact be opening for tUnE-yArDs on her upcoming tour that hits Music Hall of Williamsburg on May 21st, one day before Buke & Gass take part in the sold out "Our Band Could Be Your Concert" at Bowery Ballroom. All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Buke & Gass touring w/ tUnE-yArDS, but first benefit shows w/ Thurston Moore, John Zorn, Norah Jones & more"

"Fresh off the success of his latest release, Silent Movies (Pi Recordings), Marc Ribot celebrates with a month long residency, January 2011 at (le) Poisson Rouge (NYC). Each night will start off with an intimate solo set with music from the album which has landed on several Best of 2010 lists including the LA Times, Village Voice and critical praise across the board. Ribot will then be joined on stage each night with a different band, showcasing a disparate range of projects from noise, punk, funk, soul and free jazz."

Continue reading "a Marc Ribot residency @ LPR & New Years Eve @ The Stone"

Observer: You've been with Lou Reed for what seems like forever. Any tips for staying together?

Laurie Anderson: Take a break from each other. We've been together for 19 years, married for two years. I think everything is about to blow away, and everyone is about to blow away, and it makes me care for them more.

In related news, the dates that Lou/Laurie are curating The Stone overlap with a MoMA exhibit featuring Lou Reed's former manager in The Velvet Underground, Andy Warhol. The exhibition, entitled Andy Warhol: Motion Pictures, will show silent pictures that are professed to be his "most daring and experimental" film work. The show kicks off on December 19th and lasts until March 21, 2011.

And while we're on the subject of film, "And Everything Is Going Fine" is currently playing at the IFC Center. It's a tribute to Spaulding Gray directed by Steven Soderbergh. Laurie soundtracked the Spalding Gray films Swimming to Cambodia and Monster in a Box, and made a promotional appearance related to the movie this past weekend. .

The Stone schedule is below...

Continue reading "Lou Reed & Laurie Anderson curating The Stone in February, MoMA exhibiting Andy Warhol pictures"

Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson & John Zorn @ the Stone in 2008 (wallyg)

Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson and John Zorn faced a furious crowd on Friday night, playing cacophonous music to a cacophony of boos at the Montreal International Jazz festival. Fans expecting Sweet Jane or Walk On the Wild Side were instead met by the skronk and skree of Reed's more recent free-jazz work, infuriating sections of the crowd. As audience members hollered their complaints, Zorn responded. "If you don't think it's music, then get the fuck outta here." Then the walk-outs began. [Guardian UK] (via)

A similar show that took place at The Stone in 2008 is for sale in John Zorn's shop as a live CD. All funds raised from its sale go to benefit the non-profit club. John Zorn next plays the Stone on July 30th.

Laurie and Lou recently went to Australia and Coney Island.

Laurie Anderson plays (Le) Poisson Rouge on Tuesday, July 13th (tickets), and has lots more coming up.

John Zorn will make an appearance at the New Museum on July 13th, and John, Lou and Laurie, as well as Faith No More's Mike Patton, will be getting together again for a show at the NYC Opera in 2011.

Video from the Montreal concert and a press conference from earlier in the day are below...

Continue reading "Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson & John Zorn booed in Montreal"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Locrian - "Invisible/Visible" (M4A)

Locrian (photo by Lenny Gilmore)

Locrian will play NYC on Saturday July 10th as part of a artist Scott Treleaven's The Touching Of Hands exhibit at Light Industry in Brooklyn. The show will consist of the band playing a full set, as well as performing "Visible/Invisible" (downloadable above) as part of the artist's "Last 7 Words" video, an "affectionate and ethereal Super-8 portrait of [Genesis] Breyer P-Orridge".

The Touching of Hands
Saturday, July 10, 2010 at 7:30pm, $7

...An evening of solo and collaborative projects by Scott Treleaven and Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, focusing on the shared influence of artist and mystic Brion Gysin. Gysin's close friendship with Breyer P-Orridge, and in turn her friendship with Treleaven, has over time given rise to a number of aesthetic and philosophical affinities found in the work of all three, communicated from one to the other.

Each has explored, in his or her own way, the nature of extreme mental states, ideas of eros and thanatos, and modern applications of occult thought. Permutations of the cut-up technique, invented by Gysin in the 1950s, can be found in the reordering of visual information by both Breyer P-Orridge and Treleaven. A preoccupation with the legend of the Cult of the Assassins led to Gysin collaborator William Burroughs's novel The Wild Boys, Breyer P-Orridge's collective Thee Temple Ov Psychick Youth and, later, Treleaven's The Salivation Army, his VHS classic about a mid-90s movement centered around a Wild Boys/Psychick Youth-inspired zine. All demonstrate what Treleaven calls a "pre-Web concept" of "total intimacy and privacy, unmediated by uncontainable social networks."

Two nights earlier, July 13th, the New Museum hosts a related event - "8pm Dream Machine, A Celebration with performances by York Factory Complaint and John Zorn & Bill Laswell". Flyer for that one below with info on how you can help get a movie about Genesis and Lady Jaye funded...

Continue reading "Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Locrian, John Zorn, Bill Laswell & others appearing @ the new Museum & elsewhere "

by Andrew Frisicano

Laurie w/ the dogs in Australia (more by Roberta W.B.)

Some in the audience howled with glee, others stood on trembling legs and a few drooled in delight as famed performance artist Laurie Anderson debuted her original "Music for Dogs" composition outside the Sydney Opera House on Saturday [June 5th].

Hundreds of dogs and their owners bounced around as Anderson entertained them with 20 minutes of thumping beats, whale calls, whistles and a few high-pitched electronic sounds imperceptible to human ears.

"Let's hear it from the medium dogs!" Anderson called out from the stage, as a few dogs yipped in return. "You can do better than that -- come on mediums! Whoo! WHOOOOOO!"

The concert was originally billed as a performance for dogs' ears only, and was going to be largely limited to electronic noises played at a frequency too high for human ears. But Anderson changed things up when she decided she wanted people to have some fun, too.

"We didn't want to do something that humans couldn't hear," she said. "We brought the octaves down into our hearing range so we could all have the experience." [AP]

Laurie Anderson will be performing her new work Delusion this fall at BAM as part of the Next Wave Festival. That show will go on tour as well.

Before then, Laurie's new record, Homeland, comes out June 22nd on Nonesuch. It's streaming in full at NPR (up till the release date) - check it out. She'll play songs from that album on a very short tour this July. Stops include on-air sets at World Cafe Live and Late Show with David Letterman, and a Tuesday, July 13th show at (Le) Poisson Rouge. Tickets are on sale.

The album has some alright guests (including Laurie's male alter-ego Fenway Bergamot)...

On Homeland, Anderson is joined by a diversity of collaborators, from the Tuvan throat singers and igil players of Chirgilchin to New York experimental jazz and rock players including Rob Burger (keyboards), Omar Hakim (drums), Kieran Hebden of Four Tet (keyboards), Shahzad Ismaily (percussion) Eyvind Kang (viola), Peter Scherer (keyboards), Skuli Sverrisson (bass), Ben Witman (percussion and drums) and John Zorn (saxophone). Antony Hegarty contributes additional vocals.

Videos from the "Music for Dogs" performance and tour dates are below...

Continue reading "new Laurie Anderson album stream + July tour dates "

photos by Erez Avissar

Queen Mermaid Laurie Anderson (at Santos Party House)...

Mark your calendar for this year's Mermaid Parade, happening Saturday, June 19th at 2pm. Leading the proceedings will be "King Neptune" Lou Reed and "Queen Mermaid" Laurie Anderson. The parade's afterparty, featuring burlesque and music, is at the nearby NY Aquarium later that night. More details on the route and transportation are here.

Check out some pictures from the 2009 parade (which had Harvey Keitel and wife Daphna Kastner as the king and queen) and 2008's ball/afterparty

Laurie Anderson has a new album on the way.

Laurie Anderson's forthcoming Nonesuch release, Homeland, is due out on June 22. To count down the weeks till then, Nonesuch will release one short video clip featuring Anderson's male alter ego, Fenway Bergamot, every Tuesday now through release day. In today's inaugural clip, Bergamot revisits the early days of the 2008 financial crisis. BAM has announced that Anderson will give the NY premiere of her new work, Delusion, at the Next Wave Festival this fall. [Nonesuch]

The above-mentioned Nonesuch videos get posted here. There's also a remix contest for the song "Only an Expert" off that record, which runs through May 27th (the winner will get $1,000 and their song will be available on iTunes).

Looking way into the future, Laurie Anderson joins Lou Reed, Mike Patton, Marc Ribot, Dave Douglas, and Uri Caine to perform with John Zorn in "a series of mind-bending sonic compositions and no-holds-barred improvisations" at NYC Opera on Wednesday, March 30, 2011. Tickets...TBA?

Lou recently took part in the Anthology Film Archives benefit at Hiro, but never made it to the Codes Festival in Poland where he was scheduled to play with Laurie and John Zorn on May 15th (Laurie and John did go though). All three of them are next scheduled to appear together on July 2nd at the Montreal Jazz Festival.

The pictures above and those below are from an April 28th benefit show at Santos Party House with Laurie Anderson, Tony Conrad, Erik Friedlander and (not pictured) Text of Light. More pictures and videos (including one with Laurie talking about Delusion) are below...

Continue reading "Laurie Anderson & Lou Reed are king & queen of the 2010 Mermaid Parade, playing BAM & other shows & stuff "

by BBG

* Toby Driver photo by Gemma Fleming

Toby Driver is an "other". Not like Benjamin Linus or one of the Dharma Initiative, but in that his artistic endeavors Kayo Dot and Maudlin of The Well exist in the in-between, and outside. Driver's current project, Kayo Dot, is prepping to release their fourth album Coyote via Hydra Head on April 6th. On Coyote, elements of goth, avant-jazz, prog, ambient, and the kitchen sink meld with the avant-garde, making for an intensely fascinating and eclectic listen.

Driver was recently asked to curate the month of February at The Stone, John Zorn's non-profit club in the East Village. We sat down to ask Driver about some of the bands he chose which include solo sets from members of Krallice, Dysrhythmia, Extra Life, and Bloody Panda in addition to Baby Dee, Oxbow, Gnaw, and a full performance by his own band doing Coyote from start to finish, and the recent resurrection of Maudlin of The Well.

Full interview and Stone schedule, below....

Continue reading "Toby Driver curated Feb @ The Stone - interview & schedule"

DOWNLOAD: Velvet Underground - live from the New York Public Library (MP3)

Lou Reed, John Zorn, Sonic Youth and others will play a benefit concert for Tuli Kupferberg, the Beat poet and original member of the Fugs, at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn on Jan. 22. Mr. Kupferberg, 86, has had two strokes over the last year, which have left him blind -- although he still manages to regularly post video jokes to YouTube -- and the tickets for the concert, which is being produced by Hal Willner, will help pay his medical expenses. Among the others performers are the singer John Kruth; Ed Sanders, Mr. Kupferberg's fellow Fug; and Peter Stampfel of the Holy Modal Rounders (who also played on early Fugs albums). Tickets are $75 to $125 and are available at stannswarehouse.org or (718) 254.8779. [NY Times]

In December, Lou Reed took part in the NYPL talk with fellow VU members Maureen Tucker and Doug Yule. A recording of that night is posted above. Coming up, Reed's "Metal Machine Music" is going to be performed by Fireworks Ensemble at Columbia's Miller Theatre on Friday, February 5th. Tickets are still on sale.

Tuli was one of the Fugs who played a benefit show at the Bell House in April.

Some of the above mentioned Tuli videos are posted below...

Continue reading "Fugs' Tuli Kupferberg benefit show w/ Lou Reed, John Zorn, Sonic Youth, more ++ Velvet Underground 'reunion' audio"

by Andrew Frisicano

DM Stith plays The Stone on X-Mas...
pictured @ 92YTribeca in October (more by Vincent Cornelli)

The Stone has a great lineup of innovative pop-based acts scheduled for this December. Curators Sam Kulik (multi-instrumentalist who plays trombone in Nervous Cabaret) and David Garland (singer & songwriter and host of WNYC's "Spinning On Air" and "Evening Music") are the month's guest curators at the space.

Let's get into some highlights.

Skeletons Big Band and Capillary Action bring their new large-ensemble compositions (which Skeletons have been playing out since September) to the venue on Sunday, December 6th.

Danielson will somehow pack his "family group" into the venue for a night of music on December 22nd. They just put out a new 7" single on his Sounds Familyre label. The video for its lead track "Moment Soakers" is below. Later that night, you can also see M6, a six-person vocal ensemble that performs the work of innovative composer Meredith Monk.

Sisters Ruth and Merrill Garbus (the latter of which heads tUnE-yArDs) will split an evening on December 23rd.

Diane Cluck is there on December 16th.
Larkin Grimm plays after David Garland on the 17th.

Rob Moose plays violin and other instruments with Antony and the Johnsons, My Brightest Diamond, Sufjan Stevens and others. He plays his first-ever solo show at the venue on December 18th.

Currituck County aka Kevin Barker is the late show on the 19th, and the one and only Dave Deporis will be there on the 27th.

And for those with an open Christmas Day, the venue presents an 8pm set from Asthmatic Kitty-signed songwriter DM Stith and a 10pm set that promises to be entertaining: David Garland (piano, clarinet), son Kenji Garland (some-input mixer) and guests present "Processing Xmas" which will features "Familiar seasonal songs processed and emancipated; family improvs; audience sing-alongs; a warm get-together on a winter night."

On December 29th Extra Life, typically a brooding, dark prog ensemble, will play as a duo, with frontman and guitarist Charlie Looker accompanied by the group's violinist Caley Monahon-Ward.

Then the month and year end with "JOHN ZORN'S ANNUAL END OF THE YEAR IMPROV" on Dec. 30th, and a TBA New Year's Eve event.

The Stone's full December schedule is below...

Continue reading "The Stone's December lineup (is really great) - Danielson, DM Stith, Skeletons, Dave Deporis, David Garland & more"

by Andrew Frisicano

Mode Records has etched its name in the annals of music history, producing the avant-garde and modern classical music of influential composers such as John Cage, Morton Feldman, Iannis Xenakis, and Harry Partch. In its twenty-fifth year, they are hosting a six-hour benefit concert featuring very special performances by Philip Glass and John Zorn and a rare performance of John Cage's "Concert for Piano and Orchestra" with "Aria." This marathon of experimental music luminaries in the intimate Abrons Playhouse helps Mode Records to continue producing the best of New Music into the 21st century.

Thanks to the recession (and the other more nuanced factors we can lump in with it), the Mode concert is neither the only benefit nor the only marathon happening this week. Another benefit marathon this week (also with John Zorn) is happening at the Clemente Soto Vélez (CSV) Cultural Center (dubbed "The Suffolk" for CMJ this year) on Friday, Nov. 20th and Saturday, Nov. 21st. The beneficiaries of the 28 hour marathon are non-profit Arts For Art and the annual Vision Festival, which is going into its 15th year. Night one acts include Sex Mob, John Zorn solo, pianist Connie Crothers and her quartet, Sam Hillmer's Regattas and $KELETON$ Big Band (who are also at the Stone in December). Night two includes Milford Graves & Marshall Allen Duo and a cast of rotating musicians and groups. A full schedule is here. Tickets are on sale.

Yet another (!) benefit marathon comes from WFMU, who is currently holding a 24-hour benefit that runs until Wednesday, November 18th (today) at 7pm. More details on the fundraiser and why it's needed are below. Donate here.

A poster, the full Mode Fest lineup and relevant videos and info are posted below...

Continue reading "Mode Records benefit w/ Philip Glass (whose opera is @ BAM tonight) & John Zorn (who plays the Vision Fest marathon)"

Fischerspooner @ Performa 09 kick-off at MoMA (more by Ryan Muir)

Performa 09, a visual/performance art fest in its third year, kicked off on November 1st with a performance by Fischerspooner at the MoMA. But there are still plenty of events left in the three-week fest, which runs through November 22nd.

Music-related highlights include Lee Ranaldo and Text of Light performing a live score to "Berlin: Symphony of a Great City" in High Line Park (which is sold out, though there is a wait list).

For another piece of the fest, Mike Kelley of Destroy All Monsters is putting on a two-day experimental noise mini-fest, "A Fantastic World Superimposed on Reality: A Select History of Experimental Music," on November 20th and 21th at Gramercy Theater. The work of "John Cage, Fred Frith, Fluxus, Bruce Nauman and Max Neuhaus" will be featured with performances by Airway, Joan La Barbara, Tony Conrad, Jad Fair & Lumberob, Arto Lindsay, Genesis Breyer P.Orridge & Thee Majesty, z'ev, and John Zorn. Tickets are on sale. More details are below. A full calendar of out-there (and some free) events can be found HERE.

You'll have a non-Performa chance to see Fischerspooner this Thursday (11/12) when they DJ at Santos for their single release show/Cloak and Dagger party. The single in question is called "Supply & Demand" and it comes out November 17th on Dim Mak. A remix is available on RCRDLBL. Rounding out the lineup for the party (according to the flyer) will be Junior Sanchez, Ninjasonik, Hot Pink Delorean, Team Facelift, Staccato, Michna, Loose Cannons and "special secret guests." Tickets (with a limited number of reduced admission tix) are on sale. A flyer is below.

A few clips from the fest's growing YouTube channel (including Fischerspooner at MoMA and a symphony for ping pong balls) are also posted below...

Continue reading "Performa 09 continues (w/ Destroy All Monsters, Lee Ranaldo, Genesis P-Orridge, John Zorn, more) ++ Ficherspooner DJing Cloak & Dagger @ Santos"