Fischerspooner @ MoMA in November (more by Ryan Muir)

Fischerspooner will be playing a live show at Irving Plaza in NYC on New Year's Eve. Tickets are on sale. They also have a pair of DJ dates scheduled in Europe.

Speaking of New Year's Eve, shows for the night are coming together. Some NYC NYE events we've mentioned before include Patti Smith's multi-night run at Bowery Ballroom (sold out), Dean & Britta then The Felice Brothers at Southpaw, Antibalas at Knitting Factory, The Obits & Eli "Paperboy" Reed at The Bell House, Roky Erikson at Maxwell's, Clutch at Starland Ballroom, and The Detroit Cobras & The A-Bones then Titus Andronicus at Mercury Lounge.

Some we haven't mentioned include Lee Burridge at Santos Party House (tickets), Trouble & Bass at Europa (flyer below), Alice Smith at Joe's Pub (tickets), and Chuck Berry (who replaced the Dan Band) at BB King's (tickets - early and late). Tons of jam-friendly options this year: Soulive at Music Hall of Williamsburg, The Word at Terminal 5, Gov't Mule at the Beacon, The Disco Biscuits at Nokia Theatre, and most importantly, Mariah Carey at Madison Square Garden.

Phish have a four-night run in Miami.

For other out of town shows, The Black Keys and Kurt Vile play Chicago, where Jesus Lizard are also doing multiple nights and Jens Lekman is at the Empty Bottle (for three nights in a row actually). Girl Talk also plays Chicago that night- a sold out show at The Congress Theater. Crystal Castles are at Logan Square Auditorium. (Chicago wins)

Guns n Roses cover band Mr. Brownstone are playing Boston.

Pink Floyd cover band The Flaming Lips will be in Oklahama City's Cox Center, where they'll perform Dark Side of the Moon in full at midnight. They'll be assisted by OK's Stardeath and White Dwarfs. Flaming Lips are also reportedly planning an iTunes-only release of their own version of the album.

What else?

The Flaming Lips flyer, other flyers, and all Fischerspooner tour dates, below...

Continue reading "New Year's Eve options in NYC include Fischerspooner ++ Flaming Lips performing 'Dark Side of the Moon' in Oklahoma "

Public Enemy @ Roots Picnic (more by Tim Griffin)

WARREN, NJ, June 24, 2009 Speculation and predictions that have filled blogs and discussion boards can be put to rest. The Virgin Mobile Festival is returning, but with a catch. It'll be free.

Virgin Mobile USA, creator of one of the largest and most critically acclaimed music festivals in the U.S., announced today that it would host the 2009 Virgin Mobile Festival on Sunday, August 30, at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md., free of charge. All tickets will be given away, and previous Virgin Mobile Festival ticket buyers and Virgin Mobile customers will have the first crack at securing the 35,000 tickets.

The move celebrates both a giveback to music fans in a bad economy as well as an effort to solicit donations to homeless youth agencies in need around the country via The RE*Generation, Virgin Mobiles charitable arm. Most sponsors, including premier sponsor Kyocera Communications, will be building awareness for the cause in their marketing efforts around the festival.

"Instead of focusing on layoffs or the state of the economy, we want to focus on concrete ways to provide assistance to those in need", said Dan Schulman, CEO, Virgin Mobile USA. "People need outlets to both lend a helping hand and to escape and relax, for free, even if just for one day. We want to throw some good news in the mix".

The 2009 Virgin Mobile FreeFest will be hosted on the beautiful, 40 wooded acres of Merriweather Post Pavilion. The grounds and facilities of Merriweather will be expanded to accommodate the multiple stage and dance tent set-up from prior Virgin Mobile Festivals. Those scheduled to appear at this years FreeFest include Weezer, Blink-182, Franz Ferdinand, and Public Enemy, Jet, The National, Girl Talk, The Bravery, The Hold Steady, St. Vincent, Wale, and Taking Back Sunday, as well as dance tent favorites that include HOLY F*CK, Pete Tong, Danny Howells and Lee Burridge.

Continue reading "MD Virgin Mobile Fest returns in 2009 as a free event (lineup)"