"The 2011 Solid Sound lineup thus far: Wilco (Fri. & Sat.), the Levon Helm Band, Thurston Moore, Syl Johnson & the Sweet Divines, Here We Go Magic, Dave Douglas & Brass Ecstasy, Pillow Wand (Nels Cline/Thurston Moore duo), Handsome Family, Liam Finn, Sic Alps, JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound, Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, Glenn Kotche, Pronto, the Autumn Defense, Comedy Cabaret curated by John Hodgman featuring Wyatt Cenac, Eugene Mirman & Morgan Murphy, plus the return of the Story Pirates -- all at the largest contemporary art museum in the country with the backdrop of the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts."

Solid Sound goes down from June 24-26 at MASS MoCA in North Adams, MA. Tickets are on sale now.

DOWNLOAD: The Autumn Defense - Back of My Mind (MP3)

The Autumn Defense

Jeff Tweedy isn't the only member of Wilco playing Bowery Ballroom on December 4th (TICKETS ON SALE AT NOON). The Autumn Defense are opening the show which means there will be a minimum of three Wilco members in the house that night since The Autumn Defense is a side project of both John Stirratt and Pat Sansone. They're also opening for Jeff on December 6th in Tarrytown and Dec 8th in Charlottesville.

December isn't that far away, but the Autumn Defense are also playing other shows even sooner. They release a new album called Once Around via Yep Roc on November 2nd, and they go on a tour to support the LP that same month. That trek brings them to Le Poisson Rouge in NYC on November 12th, and that night they are the headliner. Johnny Irion & Sarah Guthrie are also on the bill. Tickets are on sale.

Grab an MP3 from their new album, "Back of My Mind", above for free. All Autumn Defense tour dates below...

Continue reading "The Autumn Defense releasing an album, touring (MP3, dates), opening for Jeff Tweedy (Bowery tix on sale) "

Tift Merritt (by Chris LaPutt)

Singer-songwriter Tift Merritt has summer shows scheduled up through August 9th, when she plays the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. Those dates also include a stop at the Newport Folk Festival on August 1st.

Before those though, Merritt will perform in NYC tonight (July 1st) at a free show with Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion. The gig was supposed to happen at Nelson A. Rockefeller Park, but...

"Due to a threat of inclement weather, tonight's Tift Merritt/Sarah Lee Guthrie/Johnny Irion show has been moved to Stuyvesant High School at 345 Chambers St. Start time is still 7pm. Space is limited, so the first come, first served system will be in effect. "

The Jay Reatard show, also scheduled outdoors tonight, is still on (as far as we know), and the Celebrate Brooklyn gig with MGMT, Kuroma and Suckers at the Prospect Park Bandshell is -- as always (allegedly) -- rain or shine.

Tift Merritt's 2005 Lost Highway release, Tambourine, earned her a Grammy nomination for the Best Country Album of the Year. Her newsest album, recorded live and acoustic, is called Buckingham Solo. It came out earlier this year, and is available through Fantasy Records and on iTunes. She discussed that record and played live on WNRN in April. That, with all tour dates, is below...

Continue reading "Tift Merritt tour dates (free NYC show moved inside tonight)"