Neil Diamond is 2nd from left...

The Kennedy Center Honors are lifetime achievement awards for performing artists and an annual love-in for the entertainment world. It's also a moment for the staid Washington D.C. social scene to bask in the glow of non-political superstars. This year's honorees, celebrated Sunday night (12/4), were Barbara Cook, Neil Diamond, Yo-Yo Ma, Sonny Rollins and Meryl Streep.

The Honors, in their 34th year, were hosted by JFK daughter Caroline Kennedy (after many years with Walter Cronkite at the helm). It's one of those occasions that forces odd pairings, where you can find the House Minority Leader sitting next to the CEO of CBS, Senators sitting next to stars from Sex and the City -- and presidential hopefuls (like Newt Gingrich) clapping alongside the man currently in office. "Everybody sings Neil Diamond songs," Obama said at a reception earlier that day, "no matter how many drinks they've had." [TIME]

Neil Diamond has added a 2nd June date at Jones Beach to his recently-announced tour. Both are on sale now.

by BBG

Neil Diamond at Acheron, er, MSG (more by Eric Townsend)

True story. I was thumbing through a distro at a recent crust/hardcore show and somewhere in between a copy of an Assault 7" on HG Fact and a Grudges tape, I encountered a copy of The Jazz Singer. I almost bought it out of principle.

I'm guessing that appearance of Neil Diamond's soundtrack is an anomoly, but maybe he'll encounter a whole new breed of fan when he hits the road for a string of dates this summer. The dates include a stop at Jones Beach Theater on 6/8. Tickets are currently on Livenation presale, and go on regular sale at noon on 12/5. The full list of show is below, none of which probably feature an opening set from Amebix.

Neil recently made two special holiday appearances in NYC. He was in the Thanksgiving Day Parade and at the lighting of the Rockefeller Center christmas tree. Videos of both are also below...

Continue reading "Neil Diamond tour dates"

The Rib Rock Festivals scheduled for this Saturday, August 27th at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater and this Sunday, August 28th at the PNC Bank Arts Center have been cancelled due to safety reasons concerning Hurricane Irene.

Refunds are available at the point of purchase.

Catch Peter Wolf instead at two NYC shows in October.

Band of Horses in Toronto in 2010 (more)

As you may have heard, Caleb Followill of Kings of Leon walked off stage at their show in Dallas, TX on Friday (7/29) after saying he was going to go backstage, vomit, and return for three more songs.

"While KoL's fans stood in the dead heat, precious Caleb was carried off to his all-white dressing room where slaves hand fed him Evian ice cubes and fanned him with swan feathers while spritzing his face with 60º Perrier from a crystal bottle." [Dlisted]

Caleb never returned and Jared Followill then told the crowd, "I don't know what to say. It's not our fault. It's Caleb. He can't play." Jared then tweeted, "Dallas, I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am. There are internal sicknesses & problems that have needed to be addressed. No words." Jared again tweeted, admitting, "I love our fans so much. I know you guys aren't stupid. I can't lie. There are problems in our band bigger than not drinking enough Gatorade." The band continued to cancel their next two shows, both Saturday (7/30) and Sunday (7/31). Since canceling those dates, the band have gone on to cancel the rest of their entire tour, which was with Band of Horses.

A message on KoL's website reads:

We are so sorry to say Kings of Leon are canceling their entire US tour due to Caleb Followill suffering from vocal issues and exhaustion. The band is devastated, but in order to give their fans the shows they deserve, they need to take this break. Unfortunately, the US dates cannot be rescheduled due to the band's international tour schedule. Tickets will be refunded at point of purchase. Tickets purchased online or via phones will be automatically refunded. The band will resume touring in Canada at the Rogers Center in Vancouver, BC, on September 28th. That show was originally schedule for September 14th.

The cancelled shows include Nikon at Jones Beach Theater on August 10 and PNC Bank Arts Center on August 17. According to Ticketmaster/Livenation, any tickets purchased by Ticketmaster Charge-By-Phone or Ticketmaster.com will be automatically credited back to the card used to order them. All tickets purchased at the box office or a Ticketmaster Ticket Center must be returned to the point of purchase to receive a refund.

Nathan Followill confirmed it's just a break and not a breakup, when he tweeted "Bummed about the tour not happening. So sorry 4 all the fans. We just need some rest. Thanks 4 understanding. WE ARE NOT BREAKING UP!" Despite the fact that the band reports the tour was cancelled so Caleb could rest his voice, US Weekly reports that a source tells them his bandmates are urging him to go to rehab. The source says Caleb "drinks like a fish."

Fortunately, Band of Horses are working on scheduling some club dates to make up for the cancelled tour. They wrote on their facebook:

Hey there Friends Of BoH! First off, we're sorry for the lag on updating everyone. We're thrilled by all the support you're showing us, and have been working behind the scenes to do everything we can to come see you. Unfortunately, we won't be able to hit up all of the places we'd planned on visiting with Kings of Leon. BUT!!! We're happy to announce that we're going to play SOME SHOWS!!!
We're playing FT. LAUDERDALE AND CHARLOTTE THIS WEEK! Details are below. We're working on adding more, and will have another update very soon.
We would like to thank Kings Of Leon for the opportunity to play the shows we did, and wish them all the best.
p.s. We're hoping to provide a special treat to the fans coming out to these new dates. Stay tuned and thank you!
Love, BoH

The new dates include a show at Hammerstein Ballroom on August 10 (which is at least way better than Jones Beach). Tickets for the NYC show go on sale Friday (8/5) at noon.

BoH also wants you to help them pick their setlists for the new shows. Because they had planned on playing shorter sets of their more popular songs on the Kings of Leon tour, they now have time to play some of their lesser known cuts. Check out the list of songs to choose from and more details on how to submit your choices at their facebook.

Video of Caleb speaking throughout the Dallas show and ending with Jared's apology, and Band of Horses dates below...

Continue reading "Kings of Leon cancel tour, Band of Horses book club dates"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

The Flaming Lips and Weezer played their second of two co-headlining shows at a wet Jones Beach on Friday (7/29). As we learned from the first show in NJ the night before, Wayne and Rivers opened the show by riding in their own space bubbles as the remaining members of both bands played "Sweet Leaf" (Black Sabbath) on stage. That was followed by alternating sets by the two bands every few songs, starting with The Flaming Lips.

According to Rolling Stone, "The Flaming Lips had a tougher job because they were playing to what was clearly a majority Weezer fan audience. They even had to endure some obnoxious "Weezer! Weezer!" chants between songs." Those in attendance who do appreciate the Flaming Lips's great work were treated to their recent Neon Indian collaboration "Is David Bowie Dying?," in addition to popular standouts like "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song," "What Is the Light?" "The Observer," and "Do You Realize??"

Weezer, whose new material is slightly lacking (to say the least), focused a little more on their earlier stuff like they did on their Blue Album/Pinkerton tour. They played old favorites like "El Scorcho," "My Name is Jonas," "Surf Wax America," and "Buddy Holly," though they didn't touch on early b-sides like they did the previous night when New Jerseyans were rewarded with "You Gave Your Love to Me Softly" and "Susanne," in addition to two more Pinkerton tracks. They also covered Radiohead's "Paranoid Android" like they did in May when they posted a live-in-studio video of them recording the track to their YouTube account.

The encore saw both bands rejoin on stage for one of each band's quirkier tracks. Wayne and Rivers traded verses on the Lips' "She Don't Use Jelly" and Rivers sang lead on "Undone - The Sweater Song" as Wayne ran into the audience shooting confetti.

Yeasayer opened the show in the rain with a short set made up of their singles and fan favorites.

More pictures, videos, and setlists from the show below...

Continue reading "Weezer & the Flaming Lips shared the stage again @ Jones Beach (pics, setlist, videos & Yeasayer too)"

Flaming Lips at Sasquatch 2011 (more by Josh Darr)

We previously mentioned that the Flaming Lips would play after Weezer at their co-headlining shows at Jones Beach and PNC Bank Arts Center "because the Flaming Lips make such a big mess that its sort of logistically unwise to take the stage after them." However, it's just been announced that:

With their respective gear set up side-by-side, Weezer and The Flaming Lips will literally share the stage together on Thursday, July 28th in New Jersey and Friday, July 29th in New York.

"Weezer and the Flaming Lips will trade off songs back and forth for the entire length of each concert, allowing them to take turns playing a few songs each in one big exciting set." Yeasayer open each show.

Flaming Lips mastermind Wayne Coyne remarked: "The Flaming Lips and Weezer are playing a show together...where they are actually playing together."

"I asked Wayne if he has an extra bubble I could ride in," quipped Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo.

TIckets are still on sale for both of these shows.

photos by Kurt Christensen

"So me, Riff, and Elyse saw Soundgarden at Jones Beach. It was an awesome show! The whole band can still fucking rip." - veganaction

It was a generational mix of fans as old classic rock loving men mixed with metal heads, Gen X and Gen Y'ers as the 90's came back alive and everyone remembered when grunge was king. Opening with "Searching with my Good Eye Closed," Chris Cornell, Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, Ben Shepherd reinvoked the power and thunder that fans have loved them for all these years. It was a trip down memory lane as the band are reintroducing themselves with their back catalogue of singles, B-sides and very deep early cuts and in a set list that appealed to the casual listener to the hardcore fan, Soundgarden were not ready to play any of the new material they have been working on and they didn't need to, they stuck to the working wheel of high octane, dark and murky rock and roll. "Jones Beach, sorry for the wait! We got some new songs but you won't hear any tonight, this is an old song" a bearded Chris Cornell told the crowd right before kicking into "Jesus Christ Pose" -[Officially a Yuppie]

Soundgarden played two NYC area shows over the weekend with Coheed & Cambria. They hit July 8th at Prudential Center in Newark and July 9th at Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre in Wantagh, NY. Their set consisted mainly of material off Louder Than Love, Badmotorfinger, and Superunknown, with a few other cuts as well. The above review and photos in this post come from Jones Beach. We also have setlists and videos from both below.

Last night, Sunday night (7/10), Coheed & Cambria opened for Soundgarden at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Mass, but without their bassist who was arrested at the venue for robbing a pharmacy earlier that day!

Soundgarden is currently touring the east coast, and will play upcoming dates in Phildelphia and Atlantic City (with Mars Volta) in the coming days. Full tour schedule (which now includes a headlining appearance at Voodoo in New Orleans), with more pictures (though none of Coheed), videos and setlists below...

Continue reading "Soundgarden played Jones Beach & the Prudential Center (pics, setlists & videos)"

photos by Tim Griffin

DJ Shadow @ the Great Escape

Instrumental hip hop guru DJ Shadow is set to release his first LP in five years The Less You Know, The Better on September 5. He released the single "I Gotta Rokk" back in May. Check out the video for that track below.

DJ Shadow performed at Glastonbury this past weekend. According to @RadioRassilon, "DJ Shadow in the John peel tent at #Glastonbury - mind boggling. I'm boggled. Boggled flat." We don't have pictures from his set there but we did catch at the Great Escape, also in the UK, in May. As previously seen on the BV Facebook, pictures from that one are in this post.

Those fests were some of many performances Shadow has/had lined up this summer, which is largely being occupied by the touring electronic festival, IDentity Festival in August and early September. IDentity will be headlined by Kaskade, Steve Aoki (who was spotted at the Gay Pride Parade on Sunday), and Steve Lawler. It also includes live sets by Holy Ghost!, Hercules and Love Affair, and Modeselektor. It hits PNC Bank Arts Center in Jersey on 8/14 and Jones Beach in Long Island on 8/21. Tickets are on sale for both.

Video, tour dates, more live pics and the IDentity Fest lineup and flier below...

Continue reading "DJ Shadow announced new LP, touring w/ IDentity Festival, played Glastonbury & the Great Escape (pics & dates)"

As Anonymous promised, Bob Dylan will also play a show at Jones Beach on his recently-announced summer tour. One day after he plays Bethel Woods Center (tickets), Bob will hit Nikon at Jones Beach Theater on August 13. Leon Russell opens the new NY show and others on the tour, including the Bethel show. Tickets for the Long island show go on sale June 27 at 10 AM.

Updated tour dates, including new shows in PA and MD too, below...

Continue reading "Bob Dylan adds dates, Jones Beach -- Leon Russell opening"

Jill Scott's great new album, "The Light of the Sun", is out June 21st. If you have any doubts, stream the whole thing now at NPR.

Scott has come a long way since she was working as The Roots' hook girl. (Can you imagine a time when Scott rode the bus on the Things Fall Apart tour just to come out and sing the chorus she'd written for Erykah Badu to sing in "You Got Me"? And people were kind of bummed when she hit the stage -- until they heard her sing, of course?) Scott began in Philadelphia as a spoken-word artist, and on The Light of the Sun, she incorporates that work into her songs cleverly. When she finds an opening to leaven her singing with speech, she goes for it, but within reason and to an end.

This summer Jill will take the show on the road. "Jill Scott's Summer Block Party" will hit amphitheaters in multiple cities including Wantagh, NY aka Jones Beach on July 28th. Tickets for the NY show, and other shows, are on sale now.

The shows will be hosted by Doug E. Fresh with opening sets by Anthony Hamilton and Mint Condition. DJ Jazzy Jeff will work the turntables. All dates below...

Continue reading "Jill Scott releasing "The Light of the Sun" (stream it), bringing a 'block party' on tour (dates)"

Flaming Lips in Poughkeepsie in 2010 (more by Ryan Muir)

More info on those Weezer, Flaming Lips, Yeasayer shows...

...Some major additions to the 2011 Weezer concert calendar today, folks! First of all we got a special pair of shows in the NY/NJ area, co-headlining with The Flaming Lips in the first ever Weezer/Flaming Lips team up! The shows are being opened by Yeasayer, and Weezer will play in the middle slot... because the Flaming Lips make such a big mess that its sort of logistically unwise to take the stage after them! But Weezer and the Flaming Lips will be playing identical set lengths.

***PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ - 7/28/11- Co-headline with the Flaming Lips. With Yeasayer***

Onsale to General Public Start: Sat, 05/07/11 10:00 AM EDT

Citi® Cardmember Presale
Start: Wed, 05/04/11 10:00 AM EDT
End: Fri, 05/06/11 10:00 PM EDT
UPDATE: PRESALE LINK: (no password needed)

Citi® Cardmember Preferred Tickets
Start: Sat, 05/07/11 10:00 AM EDT
End: Thu, 07/14/11 10:00 PM EDT

***Nikon @ Jones Beach info - Friday July 29th - Co-headline with the Flaming Lips. With Yeasayer***

UPDATE: PRESALE LINK: (no password needed)

Onsale to General Public
Start: Sat, 05/07/11 10:00 AM EDT

--

..The other big show announcement is for Seattle, at the WAMU Theater! This show will feature the Memories style setlist of the Blue Album and Pinkerton being performed in their entirety! While this isnt the only Memories style or Memories influenced setlist of the summer, it is definitely the only one in Seattle!

***WaMu Theater - Seattle, WA - August 19th***

I don't know what Weezer mean by "no password needed," unless they mean AmEx, but anyway tickets go on general sale on Saturday if all else fails. All tour dates are listed HERE.

by BBG

Over the past few months, we've been busy jamming, writing and hanging out together - exploring the creative aspect of being Soundgarden. It feels great. We have some cool new songs that we are going to record very soon. Thank you for all of the support!

Loudest of Love,

Ben, Chris, Kim and Matt

Until we hear that new material, we'll have to either settle for Live on I-5 (a new live album recorded in 1996) or catch Soundgarden on the road this summer! The reunited Seattle band will hit the road for select North American dates with support from Coheed & Cambria on some dates and The Mars Volta on others.

Coheed & Cambria (who is also scheduled to play a free show at Williamsburg Waterfront) will join Soundgarden at both NYC-area dates, July 8th at Prudential Center in Neark and July 9th at Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre in Wantagh, NY. Tickets for Prudential Center and Jones beach go on Fan Presale at 9AM and 7AM PDT (aka noon and 10AM EST) respectively, while regular sale for both Prudential Center and Jones Beach kicks off at 10AM on 5/13. They also play Mohegan Sun in CT on July 6th and the Borgata in Atlantic City on July 14th. All dates are listed below.

The Mars Volta play the Atlantic City date, but neither of the NYC-area shows, so maybe they'll announce their own NYC show soon? Omar and Cedric last played NYC together in March.

In related news, Kim Thayil of Soundgarden recently contributed guitar to the new record by A Storm of Light, As The Valley of Death Becomes Us, Our Silver Memories Fade. Check out that track/a recent interview with Josh Graham.

All tour dates, some with Queens of the Stone Age and Meat Puppets too, are listed below...

Continue reading "Soundgarden announce tour, some shows w/ Mars Volta, others w/ Coheed & Cambria (dates)"

Weezer @ Roseland Ballroom in 2010 (more by Chris La Putt)

Yeasayer head out on tour later this month with the Smith Westerns and Hush Hush. That tour concludes with a sold out show at Terminal 5 in NYC. Yeasayer appear at Camp Bisco less than a month later.

Weezer are playing a handful of dates later in May including radio station shows in Philly & DC, a gig in Atlantic City, and B.O.M.B. Fest in CT. They'll also be keeping busy for most of the summer.

The Flaming Lips also have shows scheduled in May in addition to various summer shows that have been popping up all over the place, Hopscotch in North Carolina, the Osheaga Festival in Montreal, and Atlantic City as part of the Dave Matthews Band Caravan included.

Weezer, The Flaming Lips and Yeasayer will share a bill at PNC Bank Arts Center in NJ on July 28th and at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater on July 29th. Tickets for both shows go on sale Saturday morning, 5/7, at 10am.

All tour dates for all three bands are below...

Continue reading "Weezer playing Jones Beach & PNC Bank Arts Center w/ Flaming Lips & Yeasayer (and other dates)"

"A Phish show is the last place you expect to have a sobering experience, but there we were during the setbreak, sitting down in the General Admission section savoring the "Antelope" that closed a stellar first set, when we saw the body drop. Though the distance between the mezzanine and the seats directly below it is approximately 25 feet, the body landed much further out, in row HH, indicating that the fan propelled himself outward. One security guard guesstimated that the total distance was about 50 feet. A witness told the Post, "He pushed people out of the way and he jumped; he didn't fall. It was intentional." Fortunately, as far as we know, he didn't land on anyone.

One concertgoer who claimed to know the victim told us late last night that the man, whom he identified by the first name Luke, is in stable condition. According to the Daily News, he suffered "massive head trauma" and is "clinging to life." Another fan told the Post, "I was sitting two rows behind from where he hit. He hit a chair and he broke the back of another chair. There was blood everywhere." After the man was carried out on a stretcher, security cordoned off the area with caution tape for the remainder of the concert, which continued on schedule. It's unclear if the band was told about the incident." [Gothamist]

Yikes... As Gothamist also points out, Channel 12 on Long Island reports that the man is in "critical but stable condition." It also says he jumped. It also says they seized 49 tanks of nitrous oxide.

photos by Matthew Eisman

Boston Herald: I'm thinking about the Dr. Pepper commercial that's everywhere. Many bands in the so-called indie community think it's abhorrent to sell songs to advertisers, what do you say to those bands?

Paul Stanley: Wake up and smell the coffee. If those indie bands keep that philosophy they'll be flipping burgers soon enough. There's a reason that it's called the music business. Putting your song in a commercial doesn't negate your creativity.

Boston Herald: The concept of selling out is meaningless to KISS, right?

Paul Stanley: Success isn't selling out. We've never had to sell out because we've always done things on our terms. I didn't get into this to have a fan base of 100. I will gladly fly in the private jet to the show and make no apologies for being loved worldwide. Hold on a second. Listen to this from Rolling Stone: "KISS proved why they are the reigning kings of theater rock, delivering an electric two-hour, 21-song set of glam-rock smashes, newer tunes, over-the-top pyrotechnics." Regardless of what the naysayers say, I didn't have to sell out to get these kind of reviews.

Kiss played Jones Beach last night, Saturday, August 14th. More pictures and the setlist from their show, and a few videos, below...

Continue reading "Kiss played Jones Beach (pics & setlist) "

PNC BANK ARTS CENTER AND NIKON AT JONES BEACH THEATER EXTENDS
$10 TICKET PRICING ON SELECT SHOWS.
SPECIAL $10 TICKET OFFERS AVAILABLE BEGINNING WEDNESDAY, JULY 28!
Purchase tickets beginning Wednesday, July 28th, at 12:01 AM.
$10 ticket offer available while supplies last.
UPDATED LIST OF PARTICIPATING SHOWS:

Tickets will be HERE (Jones Beach) and HERE (PNC Bank Arts Center), though you probably wouldn't accept $10 to go to most of them. Seriously though, for Lilith Fair, that's less than $1 per lady on the bill (which includes Cat Power) (and Beth Orton) (not counting fees). List below...

Continue reading "Live Nation $10 ticket deal extended, includes Lilith Fair, STP"

Only a fool would believe...

Michael McDonald (the comedian) plays Caroline's Comedy Club tonight through Sunday. Michael McDonald (the musician) plays PNC Bank Arts Center and Jones Beach on September 2nd and 3rd (and Atlantic City in August), but nothing in the area sooner, despite what Ticketmaster says.

Grizzly Bear and other videos below...

Continue reading "don't expect to hear I Keep Forgettin' @ Caroline's this week"

by Black Bubblegum

Talib Kweli + Hi-Tek = Reflection Eternal

Rock The Bells 2009 is SUNDAY (7/19, tix still avail). Reflection Eternal is among those scheduled to play the NY date @ Jones Beach, and they are scheduled to make their NYC return on August 28th at BB King's with three others on the Rock The Bells bill: the reunion of Slum Village (sans J.Dilla of course), Slaughterhouse (aka Joe Budden, Royce Da 5'9, Joell Ortiz & Crooked I), and freestyle kingpin Supernatural. No word on whether the show, billed as "The Rock The Bells Club Tour" is part of a larger tour (sure f'n sounds like it) or when tickets go on sale.

Reflection Eternal recently dropped a new single via iTunes, "Back Again", accompanied with a video that is viewable below. No word on the status of their new LP, tentatively titled Trainspotting, or if "Back Again" will appear on it.

Meanwhile, Rock The Bells 2009 has posted the set times for Jones Beach, with one suspicious hole slotted for "Special Guest" at 5:20 on the main stage. Hmmmm..... Set times for the show are below.

Slaughterhouse recently dropped a video for "The One" from their upcoming self-titled LP due on 8/11 via E1. Check that out below.

The other half of Black Star with Talib Kweli, aka Mos Def, has released the absolutely sick new record The Ecstatic. Mighty Mos is scheduled to play Governor's Island on 9/12. Tickets are on sale.

Videos and Rock The Bells set times below...

Continue reading "Reflection Eternal 'Back Again' - playing BB King's w/ Slum Village, and ROCK THE BELLS NY on SUNDAY (set times)"

by Black Bubblegum

Judas Priest played their first of two NYC area shows at PNC Bank Arts Center on July 11th (Jones Beach was the next day). The shows were part of their resurrection of the classic British Steel which was the main attraction (they played the 1980 album from start to finish). The whole setlist, which was more than just the album, was comprised of mostly classic songs (unlike the slightly heavier Nostradamus list from the Metal Masters tour). They closed with the Screaming For Vengeance classic "You Got Another Thing Coming" from atop a Harley ridden on stage (as usual)...

"I felt like I was rocking out in the 70s somewhere. Some of the slower moving stuff in songs like The Rage & Victim of Chances really had people tripping out. I think I actually saw some people dancing and grooving out...at a Judas Priest show." [Blogman 3000]

The most recent complaint about Priest is that vocalist Rob Halford is showing his age. Halford is very stoic on stage, and at times uses a cane or a staff to walk around, but his high pitched vibrato-laden voice is still in full effect. Add the fact that the rest of the band plays with coordinated guitar dance moves straight out of the 80s and you have one helluva show that is both skilled and fun to watch.

Priest's new live album, A Touch of Evil, is out this week (July 14th) and the band's trek in celebration of British Steel continues. Full tour dates, more pictures from and the setlist from PNC Bank Arts Center (which was identical to Jones Beach the next night) as well as trailer for the live LP, are below...

Continue reading "Judas Priest played British Steel @ PNC Bank Arts Center (and Jones Beach) - pics & setlist"

photos by Zach Dilgard

...the brazenness that once defined Jane's Addiction has leveled off into something rigid and dutiful. (This was never more obvious than on "Jane Says," a signature ballad, and a diffuse and lackluster final encore.) Mr. Farrell sang in his piercing, theatrical whine, and as the alternative-rock front man most often pegged as Dionysian, he fulfilled a given role, shimmying and writhing, sometimes with a bottle of wine. "Still partying!" he crowed at one point. These days his freak show is a happy place.

By contrast Nine Inch Nails, which played a potent preceding set, delved into the colder aspects of freakishness. This too was true to form: Trent Reznor, the group's mastermind, has always been a brooder. But he sends his energies outward in performance: most of his songs reached eruptive fervor, even if they began in shadowy quietude. Mr. Reznor's lean backing band was equally engaged by thrashing post-punk riffs and thudding electronics, and his vocals created a calculated impression of soul baring at every degree of intensity. [NY Times]

Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction played two NYC-area shows togehter. They were Saturday, June 6th at PNC Bank Arts Center, and Sunday, June 7th at Jones Beach Theater. The photographs and review are both from Jones Beach. The co-headlining tour, that included a stop at Sasquatch, wraps up this weekend on June 12th in Charlotte, NC. NiN go on to play Bonnaroo on June 13th, while Jane's Addiction has shows June 13th and 14th in Portsmouth, VA, and Wallingford, CT, respectively. Both bands will travel abroad to Europe and elsewhere for the rest of the summer. Of course, Jane's Addiction will return in time for Lollapalooza on August 7th.

Street Sweeper Social Club (a band with Tom Morello and Boots Riley) opened both shows. More pictures and all setlists below...

Continue reading "NIN/JA played Jones Beach (pics) & PNC BAC (all setlists) "

photos by Fresh Bread

"Although there is hardly a shortage of jam bands, Phish had no full-fledged successor on the arena circuit during its absence. Its audience, and apparently the band itself, both realized something was missing in a Phish-less world: the band's particular assortment of head-bobbing, good-timey roots-rock and complex compositions full of shifty meters, key changes and other musicianly twists and turns." [NY Times]

What surprised me most about the three Phish concerts at Jones Beach this week (the third one is tonight, Friday, June 5th), is how many friends and friends of friends I know that went, or are going, to one of the shows. They are everywhere (PHresh Bread included). And this is the part where I try to insert a hippy joke, but instead, here's another review...

"I was expecting a dirtier, sketchier crowd, but besides for the proliferation of whippets dealers in the parking lot after the show, the fact I had to walk through a flood in the men's room to pee and the complete lack of women, I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between this show and a Third Eye Blind concert, the hippies were non existent and although some folks were swaying hippie style - the bulk of the audience seemed like accountants who went to good private colleges and liked to wear over priced sandals and Patagonia shells. Although the music itself was amazing the people were kind of boring, but based on the overwhelming amount of people driving with their windows closed before and after the show I could tell the crowd was going to be like their driving habits, climate controlled. I have this theory that people who drive with their windows open are just more friendly and interesting, less stand offish." [Frum Satire]

It is of course possible some of those people were just trying to keep the smoke in, or in the case of tonight (and last night?), the rain out. Pics from night one continued below....

Continue reading "Phish played Jones Beach (night 1 pics) - do so again tonight "

Jane's Addiction @ Sasquatch 2009 (more by Chris Graham)

A Letter from Trent Reznor:

I am very happy to announce the inclusion of a really cool VIP package for Jane's Addiction fans that is strictly limited - so if this unique offer sounds cool to you, act quickly.

Since this fundraiser began, the Jane's guys have been wanting to contribute somehow and they've come up with something really cool. These guys actually set up and play for a good chunk of time in a room backstage to warm up and jam together BEFORE they hit the stage. Jane's stuff, covers, who knows. What they've come up with is this:

For $1,000. PER PERSON, they'll allow 10 guests per show (strictly limited) to come backstage and hang out with them while they play in their practice room (literally standing right next to them in a small, intimate living-room type environment), grab autographs and then watch Jane's Addiction from the side of the stage if you'd like.

Please note: some of this takes place the same time NIN is onstage, so realize you will be missing a PORTION of NIN's show if you participate in this.

If you're a Jane's fan, this is an incredibly rare opportunity to see and meet these guys in action close up like you've never seen before.

All proceeds from this will go to help Eric De LA Cruz get a new heart and a new chance at life. Eric is of the many left behind by a broken, uncaring health-care system.

Trent

Details on Eric here:
http://www.veronicadelacruzonline.com/
http://weloveeric.com/

Spots are left for the shows coming up at Jones Beach, PNC Bank Arts Center, and Camden.

Perry got hit in the head with a water bottle cap at the June 1st MA show, and he got pissed, as you can see in the video below (he gets hit 50 seconds in)....

Continue reading "get a private backstage Jane's Addiction show (NIN charity)"

"Live Nation is planning to open the area's largest general admission venue this summer as part of its Nikon at Jones Beach Theater complex, with Long Island's own Taking Back Sunday set to christen the new stage.

The Bay Stage, named for its location on Zach's Bay in Wantagh, will have a capacity of 5,000 and focus on big-name acts that prefer playing general admission shows and developing acts and package tours that are too big for New York ballrooms but not big enough for arenas, said Live Nation's Christian McKnight, who is spearheading the stage's launch.

"It's the right place to play for certain bands - bands who have wanted to come, but haven't been able to play Long Island," said McKnight. "It will fill a void."

The new venue, which is located on the other side of the concession area from the amphitheater, will operate on the amphitheater's off days and feature lower ticket prices. Live Nation will start with six shows this season and, depending on the audience response, will expand further next year." [Newsday]

Trent Reznor & Dave Navarro in the studio (via NIN.com)

After compiling a list of FAQ, the most popular inquiry on Twitter has been, "When are we gonna get tour dates?" Well those are coming SOON! Right now we are in high gear routing the upcoming tour with NIN and as soon as we have a confirmed tour, you will know. Trust me... It's not like we have the dates and are holding them hostage... We want you to come! I can't think of a better way to start up again then a tour with the original four members of Jane's and NIN.

The original Jane's line up: After many years of different versions of Jane's Addiction, Eric Avery has re-claimed his position. We have had the honor of working with some great bass players over the years... Flea, Martyn Le Noble and Chris Chaney... But the Jane's sound was never complete without Eric. With Eric holding down the bottom, the Jane's rhythm section is once again complete. It's almost as if he and Perk live together symbiotically, to create a singular overwhelming sonic onslaught that ebbs and flows like a musical ocean. Perk and Avery not only bring out the best in each other, their ability to lock and weave with one another challenges and inspires me as a guitarist.

NIN/JA: Since our reformation, we have been spending a lot of time with Trent in the rehearsal studio and in the recording studio, working on new stuff, addressing some old stuff and more importantly, creating a friendship and working relationship. It's rare that touring partners have an opportunity to spend so much time together creatively before a tour. Regardless of the collaborative outcome our time with Trent has brought forth a new focus and sense of purpose that we plan to share with you on a nightly basis. NIN and Jane's are vastly different bands, for sure, but we have always had a connection as a result of our time together on Lolla One and various shows together. NIN/JA shows have always been "events" more than anything. Back in the day, Jane's was winding down as NIN was taking off. Our musical lives crossed each other at a very important time in music. A time where artistry and live performance meant something more. A time when the corporate structures took notice of the value in what was happening, but hadn't yet destroyed it. Touring with NIN is an invitation for us to re-capture that spirit that was at a time, inspiring, dangerous and emotionally compelling, as they have always maintained the same integrity that brought me to love music in the first place.

-dave

Jane's Addiction and Nine Inch Nails have officially announced (some of?) their previously-discussed tour together. Kicking off in West Palm Beach, Florida in May, the two alt-giants will hit the NYC-area in June with shows in Jersey at the Tweeter Center (June 5) and PNC Bank Arts Center (June 6) and in NY at Jones Beach (June 7) (NOT JUNE 26). The two bands have nothing scheduled on June 8th. Please let that be a TBA show at Madison Square Garden. If not, why?

Jane's Addiction will also probably be at SXSW in March, and though neither band listed it in the announced dates, they are also both playing Sasquatch in Washington in May. NIN is also playing Bonnaroo in June, and I think it's safe to say that Jane's Addiction will be playing Lollapalooza in August.

Perry Farrell is also playing SXSW solo, and is listed on the Coachella lineup.

All NIN/JANES dates, and a video of Ben & Greg of Dillinger Escape Plan playing live with NIN in Australia the other day, below...

Continue reading "Jane's Addiction & NIN - the REAL 2009 Tour Dates & stuff"

"Earlier this morning Phish.com was updated with dates for Phish's June tour, announced with the help of a video which featured a plane skywriting with a Punch You In The Eye soundtrack. The tour takes the quartet from their home base in the Northeast down to Asheville and out to the Midwest." [Glide Magazine]

"The tour kicks off with the band's first visit to Long Island's Jones Beach amphitheater since 1995." The Jones Beach dates are June 4th & 5th. $49.50 tickets go on sale Friday January 30th at 10AM.

UPDATE: There is also a presale happening now.

Phish previously announced three March shows in Virginia, and there's the rumor that they'll also be playing Bonnaroo, to which Bob Lefsetz says...

"You might think this is bullshit. You'll point to the gross. You'll say everyone's happy. I'll say this is the kind of thinking that fucked up our business. It's only about money, not about soul. Phish should only think about its fans. Not its manager's need to sell out a festival that dropped significantly in attendance last year."

Hippies are going nuts. First the Dead, and now Phish. All dates below...

Continue reading "Phish announce 2009 Tour Dates (2 nights @ Jones Beach)"