photos by Kurt Christensen

Since we last spoke to Kurt Christensen, he has continued to update his photo documentation of the mess Hurricane Sandy left in his Long Island town of Lindenhurst. It's not all bad though, this photo set contains images of people coming together to help others, which even in the worst of times is always a nice thing to see. Speaking of which, Patch has a list of ways people can volunteer in Babylon Village, and a list for Long Island in general.

On Saturday Kurt wrote:

Today restored my faith in humanity. From the massive response to the food and clothing drive at the firehouse, to the random people driving around handing out hot coffee, to the local businesses and Girl Scouts handing out meals on Wellwood, to the really cool group of people I met who drove down from Huntington with a grill and a load of burgers to hand out free food down on Shore Rd. This tragedy has really brought out the best in people.

After the first day these photos were up, I received a message from an Army CPT in Afghanistan who didn't know what happened to her family. I was able to visit them, and shoot a quick video of them, so they could let her know that they were all ok.

I also received a message from a woman who didn't know the fate of her family home, so I went and checked it out for her.

There is also a guy who reached out to me after he saw that the home his Grandfather built in the 1920's withstood the storm.

Continue reading "photos: Sandy destruction in Lindenhurst / Babylon (part 2)"

Dan Deacon @ North Coast Music Fest 2012 (more by James Richards IV)

Dan says:

NY/NJ: i want to let you know that the proceeds from my upcoming 11/14 Music Hall of Williamsburg and 11/16 Bowery Ballroom will be donated to Sandy relief. Having grown up on Long Island, so much of my family and many of my close friends live in New York and New Jersey. I don't feel right to going there, playing these shows and not pitching in to help out with the recovery so I'm going to donate my fee for these two shows to the Red Cross and Occupy Sandy.

I chose these two organizations because they both cover the entire affected region and are both helping in very different capacities. I thought it would be best to inform my fans so that if they were also feeling conflicted about raging and partying while all this shit is so fucked, that at least they would know that their ticket was going to help aid in the recovery.

Hopefully this can help ease the recovery for even just a few people. I encourage everyone to pitch in and give what they can in especially volunteer hours or donations.

Peace
-dan

Continue reading "Long Island's Dan Deacon on tour, turned his NYC shows into Sandy Relief benefits (tix & updated dates)"

photos by Kurt Christensen

From 10/30:

..."The scene is pretty bad. Lots of homes with terrible flooding and damage. As I walked down Wellwood I watched as people walked with just a few garbage bags full of possessions. National Guard helicopters flew overhead. There was some looting in the area last night, and the National Guard is here to prevent that from happening tonight...

Continue reading "photos: Lindenhurst, NY after Hurricane Sandy"

Haunted Coliseum (via @thizz31)

As if they didn't take a big enough hit when they found out they lost the Islanders, The Haunted Coliseum, a rave party that went down at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday (10/27) with Sebastian Ingrosso of Swedish House Mafia, DJ Alesso and Otto Knows was cut short due to some pre-Sandy (and unrelated to Sandy) "chaos" caused by drunk teens (between 14 and 18) apparently needing medical assistance less than an hour into the show. Nassau County police Inspector Kenneth Lack said, "We started getting calls for multiple aided cases for highly intoxicated individuals whether it be on alcohol or controlled substances. As soon as it reached a level where it became apparent that something was going desperately wrong, we made the decision to close it down for the good of public safety."

The situation was made worse when when a helicopter pilot decided to land his bird in a grassy area near the coliseum where there were reportedly about 20 people. The 44-year-old pilot was arrested and his helicopter impounded. Needless to say, many of the attendees are unhappy their party was shut down and have been venting their rage on Haunted Coliseum'sFacebook page.

Meanwhile, three people died in Madrid last night (10/31) at a massive Halloween party headlined by Steve Aoki where 20,000 revelers crowded into the Madrid Arena which is meant hold half that. El Pais reports that trouble started when a disturbance in the crowd started a stampede towards the exits and the deaths were caused by  "trauma by crushing, possibly having suffered a fall and being trampled." Police are still investigating.

Steve Aoki, who cancelled his show in Bilbao tonight, has issued a statement. You can read it below...

Continue reading "Long Island 'Haunted Coliseum' rave ends in chaos; three trampled to death at Steve Aoki Halloween party in Madrid"

photos via Newsday and Jon Eiseman

Luckily for Jones Beach Theater in Long Island (click the pictures for a larger view), the next scheduled shows happening there aren't until 2013.

For more Hurricane Sandy coverage, related to the NYC music scene and otherwise, click HERE.

Off Future's Tyler the Creator with Trash Talk

As mentioned on BV Chicago earlier this week, Odd Future announced some news and a tour that happens after the previously announced The Internet and Tyler the Creator/Earl Sweatshirt shows.

Odd Future will head out on the "Camp Flog Gnaw" tour in September, tagging The Paramount in Huntington, NY on 9/4 and Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, CT on 9/8, along the way. Tickets for both of those shows go on sale at 10am today (7/20). All dates, which include Jay-Z's Made in America fest, are listed below.

Meanwhile, OFWGKTA member Frank Ocean is on tour, hit Austin last night, and will be in NYC for a sold out show at Terminal 5 on 7/26, THE SAME NIGHT Tyler, The Creator and Earl Sweatshirt play NYC's Best Buy Theater with Raekwon and Asher Roth. Earl joined Frank on stage for "Super Rich Kids" in LA. Hopefully NY will get some of the same action. Listen to Frank's album Channel Orange at Spotify. All remaining tour dates are listed below.

And speaking of on-stage collaboration, Trash Talk are currently on a west coast tour with SpaceGhostPurrp and were joined by Tyler the Creator at their Anaheim show last night (7/19). Trash Talk will release their new record in the fall on Odd Future Records which also has new albums coming from Odd Future members Mellowhype, Domo Genesis, Mike G, and Tyler the Creator.

Domo Genesis' album, No Idols, is the first upcoming release. It's due out on August 1, and you can listen to/download the lead single "Elimination Chamber," featuring Earl Sweatshirt, Action Bronson, Vince Staples, and The Alchemist, at the bottom of this post. MellowHype's Numbers is due out on October 2. Take a listen to a new track for the album, called "La Bonita," below. Trash Talk release their new record, 119, on October 9, and Tyler, the Creator's Wolf is due out sometime in November.

Stay tuned for for another big NYC, related announcement coming shortly.

Songs and all tour dates below...

Continue reading "Odd Future announce tour, Long Island & CT shows included; Tyler, Earl & Frank Ocean will be in NYC the same day"

Fiona Apple @ Bowery Ballroom in March (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Fiona Apple, whose current tour schedule already included Denver's Paramount Theatre on 7/20, the Seattle Paramount Theatre on 7/25, Terminal 5 in NYC on 10/16 & 10/17, and Wellmont Theater in NJ on 10/12, has just announced a few more shows including 10/13 at The Paramount in Huntington, NY (aka Long Island and another Paramount), 10/16 at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ, and 10/19 at the Palace Theatre in Albany.

Tickets for the Long Island show go on general sale on Friday, 7/13, at 10am, but first a venue pre-sale will start on Wednesday at 10am (PASSWORD = PULSE). Albany and Red Bank tickets also go on sale Friday. Tickets are still available for the Wellmont show, and for both Terminal 5 shows.

An updated list of tour dates (with possibly more TBA), all with Blake Mills (who opens and plays in her band), below...

Continue reading "Fiona Apple adds more NY & NJ shows (updated tour dates)"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin ; words by Fred Pessaro/BBG

Iron Maiden teamed with Alice Cooper to play Jones Beach last night (6/28), the first of two NYC area shows for the pair as part of their tour together. The bands play Newark, NJ at Prudential Center on July 2nd (tickets).

Due to traffic issues (read: getting pulled over), I missed most of Alice Cooper's set, settling into my seat in time to watch an on-stage beheading (seriously). Clad in studded leather, Cooper finished out his set with the fan favorite "School's Out" (on the last day of NYC public schools) which worked in the "Another Brick In The Wall" chorus.

Iron Maiden entered shortly therafter, performing with a large elevated section made to look like ice and mimic the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son LP background. The Maiden England tour was focused on the era, so the LP was more than adequately represented (more than half, namely, "Moonchild", "Can I Play With Madness?", "The Evil That Men Do", "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son", "The Clairvoyant") along with early favorites ("Iron Maiden") and just plain classics ("Aces High", "The Number of the Beast", "Run To The Hills", etc). Every song was accompanied by its own separate backdrop, set of pyrotechnics, and insanely-energetic Bruce Dickinson cardio workouts and costumes. Just a phenomenal set from the metal legends, but that comes as no surprise. Full setlist is below.

Lets be fair though, the show wasn't just a string of superlatives. The sound from my seat was rather abysmal (elevated at an outdoor concert, go figure) and the entire set was peppered with mini bouts of feedback. Guitarist Janick Gers seems pretty much wholly unnecessary, save for theatricality like the occaisonal guitar toss, double jump-kick, and guitar spin (his solos aren't as bountiful as either Adrian Smith or Dave Murray). And sadly, its clear that Bruce Dickinson can't hit those high notes quite as easily anymore.

Nevertheless, for one picturesque night on the shores of Long Island, Iron Maiden ruled all. And in the spirit of the Nostradamus-focused material on Seventh Son, I predict they'll rule Prudential Center too.

Pictures and setlists from Jones Beach are below.

Continue reading "Iron Maiden played Jones Beach with Alice Cooper (pics/review/setlists)"

Radio City Music Hall (more by Chris La Putt)

Bon Iver's two Radio City Music Hall shows go on sale at 10am.

Florence & the Machine just played Radio City, and her Jones Beach show with the Maccabees goes on sale at 10am (as does the Saratoga Springs show).

Speaking of Long Island shows going on sale at 10, Stone Temple Pilots will be at The Paramount on August 27.

Also on sale at 10am: Aesop Rock and Future.

photos by Greg Cristman

The music was mondo intense --- almost more intense than its performers at first --- and proved why this band is one of the major progenitors of alternative rock, and still remains on top. Material from its most recent release, "Great Escape Artist," was dished out liberally among the hits. The band opened with the new track "Underground" before diving into "Mountain Song," which sent several in the audience into a panty-wetting frenzy. The stage set was a sexed-up Warhol carnival with live girls punctuated by cinematic ones.
-[Rochester City Newspaper]

The tour continues tonight at a sold-out Wellmont Theater and soldiers on through late May, thanks to a new leg of dates added recently. All tour dates, pictures from Long Island and the setlist too, below...

Continue reading "Jane's Addiction played The Paramount on Long Island, play Wellmont Theatre tonight (pics/updated tour dates)"

Jane's Addiction at Irving Plaza in 2011 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Jane's Addiction resurfaced in 2011 with The Great Escape Artist, their first new album of original material since 2003's Strays. They followed the release of the album with a club tour that included two nights at Irving Plaza. In February and March, they'll head out on another tour, dubbed the "Theatre Of The Escapists" tour, where they plan to hit various theaters in North America with support from Black Box Revelation.

According to a statement from Perry Farrell:

We chose to play as many of the great theatres that we could find because we wanted to immerse the audience in a unique experience unlike any they have ever seen at a rock show. Expect an orgy of musical and visual delights. We like orgies, and hope you do too.

All dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Jane's Addiction going on theater tour, NJ & Long Island included (2012 dates)"

photos by Greg Cristman

Cheap Trick was amazing... the band barely let up; if there was a second or a pause they ripped into another song, played The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour as if they owned it. "She's Tight" which brought back images of the video from thirty years ago. "The Dream Police" which I would say is my favorite, and "I Want You to Want Me". Rickie Nilsson kept flipping guitar picks out into the audience and like a kid I wanted to get one. -[Train Writer]

So far, no plans to have Cheap Trick perform at the, um Cheap Trick. As BV Chicago posted last month...

Cheap Trick, the Rockford band behind the '70s hits "Dream Police" and "I Want You to Want Me," announced that it will "curate" a museum and music venue in a former Buick dealership at 2245 S. Michigan in the emerging Record Row-Motor Row district.

Band manager David Frey said in a statement that Cheap Trick Chicago will be "a one-of-a-kind eatery, unique musical instrument museum, radio station, and performance space as well as rooftop and outdoor and event space in the future Music Row in Chicago."

...The announcement is a continuation of Fioretti's vision to link the historic Chess Records site, 2120 S. Michigan; the empty Vee-Jay and Brunswick Records site, 1449 S. Michigan, and vacant auto dealerships into an entertainment district that would blend history, recording studios, hotels and restaurants.

"I think we could put the Cheap Trick project together by next year," Fioretti said Wednesday. -[Chicago Sun Times]

Continue reading "Cheap Trick played the Paramount w/ Mickey Leigh's New Yorkestra (pics, setlist), opening Chicago venue"

photos by Greg Cristman

The Pixies are currently still out on a "Doolittle" tour with Surfer Blood which started at NJ's Wellmont Theater back on 10/27. The bands returned to the NYC-area to play a Saturday night show (11/5) at Long Island's Paramount Theater...

"On stage banter and bassist Kim Deal's interaction with the crowd played a big role, as you couldn't help but feel like you were part of something special. Highlights of the show include performances of "Here Comes Your Man", "Monkey Gone to Heaven", and "Where is My Mind?" The night concluded with the band's 1988 single "Gigantic", which had fans singing along and moving to its iconic bass line. Members Black Francis, Kim Deal, Joey Santiago and David Lovering then took a bow and made their way backstage. Hopefully this was just a preview of what's in store for the Long Island music scene and this fantastic venue." [SpotonLI]

Continue reading "Pixies & Surfer Blood played Long Island's Paramount Theater (pics & setlist)"

Union Transfer rendering

Lots of interesting stuff to report in the world of live concert promotions...

NYC concert promoter Bowery Presents, who already has expanded to NJ, Boston, Maine, and Canandaigua, NY (not to mention MSG, Jones Beach, the Meadowlands, Radio City, etc), is opening a new music venue in Philadelphia this month. In partnership with Philly's one and only Sean Agnew of R5 Productions, and Avram Hornik and Mark Fichera of Four Corners Management, Union Transfer is...

... "named after the original train depot station that occupied the building [and] was developed by the group to meet Philadelphia's need for a mid-sized live music space and will accommodate 600 people. The general admission venue boasts a flexible capacity and can manage up to 1,000 people for larger crowds. Located at 1004-26 Spring Garden St, steps from Center City, Union Transfer is slated to open on September 21, 2011.

In perhaps less exciting news for Bowery Presents, Mercury Lounge talent buyer Jay Belin has reportedly moved on and started booking Irving Plaza, Gramercy Theatre and the new Paramount Theatre in Huntington, Long Island for Live Nation.

The Paramount Theatre is...

...located on New York Avenue a block and a half north of Main Street. The space is the former home of the nonprofit Inter-Media Arts Center (IMAC), which closed its doors in 2009 after 26 years of hosting jazz, folk and blues concerts.

The 1,500-capacity venue has been undergoing renovations for months. Among the changes, there will be a VIP lounge on the balcony and a member's only "Founder's Room" with a separate entrance in addition to the general admission floor.

"With both the architecture and the vibe of the venue dedicated to quality sound, hospitality, and experience, The Paramount is sure to be a hotspot for all of Long Island, and especially for Huntington," the founders said in a news release." [Long Island Press]

Speaking of moving on, Rock Shop booker Jack McFadden aka Skippy has moved to the music capital of Texas. He is still booking the Brooklyn club (and other NYC rooms) though. You just won't see him there as much.

Speaking of expanding, the race is on to see who can open in Chicago first. Will it be Brooklyn Bowl? or City Winery?

Speaking of Brooklyn Bowl, and last but not least for this post, the Wetlands is having a Class of '96 reunion at Brooklyn Bowl on Sunday (9/11). Ex-employees of the famed Tribeca club who will probably be in attendance include Rocks Off founder Jake Szufnarowski, Bowery Ballroom (and Union Transfer co-booker) Johnny Beach and of course ex-Wetlands owner and current Brooklyn Bowl owner Peter Shapiro. Brooklyn Bowl hosted a Wetlands get together of sorts in 2010 too, though that one was on a much sadder note, as it was to remember Wetlands' very first employee Dave Nolan who died of a heart attack last year.

This press release went out this morning...

QUIKSILVER PRO NEW YORK SURF CONTEST WILL RUN: Update from Long Beach

An important update from Long Beach - Quiksilver is working closely with the City of Long Beach to preserve the heart of the professional surf contest scheduled to start on Sunday, September 4 in light of the impact of Hurricane Irene and concerns for the Long Beach community, which suffered significant damage from the storm. The Quiksilver Pro is scheduled to start its 11-day "holding period" on Monday, September 5. The Quiksilver Pro Trials presented by Unsound Surf will run on Sunday, September 4.

The situation has been changing daily, and we recognize that City resources are focused on hurricane restoration and clean up as first priority. In that context, we have been informed by the City that the festival and music components of the event are no longer achievable.

The Quiksilver Pro NY is first and foremost about the surf contest and Long Beach has an incredible surfing tradition and spirit. We are committed to holding the ASP tour event at Long Beach so that together we can promote the sport by bringing together the best surfers in the world to this terrific community.

Continue reading "free Quiksilver concerts in Long Beach are cancelled (surfing still on) (or something like that)"

photos by Greg Cristman

Neko Case and Lost In The Trees are playing the sold-out Bell House in Brooklyn tonight/Sunday (pics coming), but on Saturday night (2/5), the pair's tour brought them a different NY venue - the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center in Long Island. That show was not sold out, but not empty either.

Neko and her band sounded excellent as they played a 21 song, 75 minute set to a seated crowd. Neko seemed to be enjoying herself and joked continuously with back up vocalist Kelly Hogan between songs, much to the delight of the audience. The full list of songs they played is below.

Lost In The Trees were also very impressive and despite Ari Picker's weakened voice (cold/hoarseness) he still sounded wonderful, as did their gorgeous arrangements. Don't forget you can catch them Monday at Mercury Lounge.

More pictures from the LI show, with Neko's setlist, below...

Continue reading "Neko Case & Lost in the Trees played Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center (pics & setlist)"

photos by Greg Cristman

"I'm feelin' pretty good. I'm still healin'. It takes a lo-o-ong time to heal up from somethin' like that. I still have these residual pains and aches and what-have-you, and I think I developed one hernia, which is very common. I got one right under my sternum, and I got one over on the side. That's just from layin' up so long, not usin' your chest muscles. 'Coz it's hard, you know. There for a while, I had to have oxygen, because I couldn't draw a deep breath, you know? A big, deep satisfyin' breath. Because that's where the surgery was -- right in front of your lungs." - [Gregg Allman to NJ.com]

Allman spent Saturday night (1/2) in Stamford, CT (rescheduled from 12/29 due to weather) and will be on tour through the bulk of January, hitting Englewood, NJ on 1/12 and a sold-out Bowery Ballroom on 1/18. The shows are in celebration of Gregg's new solo LP, Low Country Blues, due via Rounder Records on January 18th. Full tour dates are below.

Allman will also be in NYC in March to play a string of dates with The Allman Brothers Band at Beacon Theater. Tickets are still available for the March 10th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th shows, but March 11th, 12th, 18th, and 19th (the Friday/Saturday shows) are sold out.

All tour dates and more pictures below...

Continue reading "Gregg Allman (complete with new liver) played Westhampton Beach on New Years Eve, touring (pics & dates) "

photos by Matthew Eisman

Slayer

"It has been a really long time since Long Island experienced a real heavy metal show. In fact, it is flat-out embarrassing and insulting to the fans and bands that it has been this long. Thanks to the demonic forces of the dark lord, Long Island was the place to be on Friday night when Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax invaded the Nassau Coliseum.

The "Big 3 of Thrash" performed on the Island together for the first time ever under the heading of the "American Carnage Tour" presented by Jagermeister. The artists, Dave Mustaine in particular, did not let fans forget that as he made at least 5 references to the sponsor during Megadeth's set."

Going into the show, one would think that Anthrax would be the weakest link. Let's face it, Anthrax is awesome but not of the same caliber as Slayer. The band must have had this in mind because Anthrax annihilated the Coliseum. Original frontman Joey Belladona could not have sounded any better. He was dead on. [Gears of Rock]

The meeting of the thrash titans is ongoing through the next two weeks. Check out more pictures from the Nassau Coliseum stop, with videos and setlists, below...

Continue reading "Slayer, Megadeth & Anthrax played classic material w/ classic lineups @ Nassau Coliseum (pics & setlists) "

Built to Spill @ Outside Lands 2009 (more by Chris Graham)

Built to Spill played Irving Plaza on Wednesday, July 28th. Download their set recorded by NYC Taper. One day later later they played a show in Long Island (at the Crazy Donkey). Video and setlists below.

The band continues on tour, playing headlining shows between dates with Kings of Leon. They do the latter on August 5th at Camden, NJ's Susquehanna Bank Center, and the former (aka their own show) at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park on August 6th.

Built to Spill will be back in NYC on Thursday, September 2nd for a BrooklynVegan-presented Rocks Off Concert Cruise. Tickets are on sale now.

In other news, BTS' Doug Martsch and Brett Nelson covered the band's own songs in a synthy style as the Electronic Anthology Project...

"Dug Martsch and Brett Nelson are both members of Built To Spill.The Electronic Anthology Project is a side project that Dug and Brett made.It's basically one song off of each BTS record,completely replayed by Brett (synths/drum machine) and resang by Dug.If you like Built To Spill and 80's New Wave then you may like the two together."

All tour dates, the Irving Plaza & Crazy Donkey set lists and more, below...

Continue reading "Built to Spill played NYC & Long Island, playing a boat (BV presents), covered their own songs using synths "

Rufus Wainwright in Poughkeepsie Feb. 2010 (more by Eric Townsend)

NY TIMES: So the new album incorporates a bunch of recent projects.

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT. It has my own album, songs, life, imagination; it has the Shakespeare sonnet project I worked on with Robert Wilson in Berlin; and it has an aria from my opera, which premiered in London a couple of weeks ago and is coming to Toronto. And people in New York, you can start holding your breath -- that's all I'm gonna say...

Speaking of ticketed shows in Prospect Park this summer, it was just announced that The Dead Weather are playing one too. Tickets for that go on sale Friday.

All Rufus tour dates and a video from his recent appearance on IFC show Dinner With the Band, below...

Continue reading "Rufus Wainwright playing Prospect Park, other dates (presale) "

Central Park - July 14, 2009 (Noel Y C)

One down, five free shows to go.

by Black Bubblegum

It's a common tale of post-hardcore life: Four young, angry men form a band. They write songs, break strings, and pop blisters playing the deafening music of youthful discontent, traveling the country one dank, cat-hair-filled basement at a time. Then they break up and get real jobs. Years later, some Europeans e-mail them looking for leftover T-shirts and the spark is reignited. This isn't exactly what happened to 1.6 Band, but it's pretty representative. And now, thank god, the New York quartet has hit the reunion stage of their careers. Back when Long Island was still raging against George Bush Sr., 1.6 Band was the East Coast's answer to the Minutemen--using head-spinning rhythms, shouted vocals, and flinty guitar to bring politics down to street level. -[DC City Paper]

1.6 Band came up in the early 90s NYC hardcore scene, formed by Kevin Egan in the wake of the collapse of Beyond (a band whose other members included Tom Capone & Alan Cage of Quicksand, and Vic DiCara of 108, Burn, & Inside Out). Beyond reunited in 2006.

In 1.6 Band's short lifespan (1991 - 1993), the band released a few 7"s (including a split with the mighty Rorschach), appeared on some compilations (with the likes of Nation of Ulysses), and released an LP, all of which was compiled for a 1995 compilation on Gern Blandsten entitled Broke Up.

Tour dates below...

Continue reading "1.6 Band reuniting - playing DC, WFMU & Cake Shop (dates)"

"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]

by Andrew Frisicano

"Great Lawn, 15 minutes before the concert" (jamescastle)

This July, the New York Philharmonic will play free outdoor concerts in all five NYC boroughs. Two shows are set for Manhattan, while Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx each gets one... which is one more than Long Island's East Islip. The NY Phil has been performing annual free shows in the town for more than 30 years, but had to cancel its appearance at this year's concert, "cit[ing] the current economic downturn and a resultant loss of sponsors." The Long Island Philharmonic has announced it will take the group's place at the July 18th event.

At least the New York Phiharmonic is doing better than the Brooklyn Philharmonic. The 50+ year old group (vs. the NYP's 150+ years) was less well-equipped to deal with funding losses and recently canceled the remainder of its 2009 season. That's in addition to being sued by a composer who claims the orchestra "'butchered' [his] piece to avoid paying musicians overtime."

Recent Brooklyn Phil shows, that didn't get cancelled, include one with Grizzly Bear and Final Fantasy, and another with Clogs and Bell Orchestre.

The NY Philharmonic also has an upcoming free Memorial Day show. That concert will take place at Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine on Monday, May 25th.

Last year, the NYP ran a photo contest -- the above snapshot was last year's winner in the "Overall Favorite Shot" category.

All free outdoor dates below...

Continue reading "New York Philharmonic's 2009 free summer schedule + cancellations, lawsuits & other orchestra news"

A raging fire that one fire official called "definitely suspicious" gutted a Dix Hills home owned by the Grammy-nominated rapper 50 Cent Friday morning, sending six people inside the house to the hospital.

An eyewitness told Newsday that among the injured, all of whom suffered smoke inhalation according to fire officials, were 50 Cent's ex-girlfriend, Shaniqua Tompkins, and their 10-year-old son, Marquise.

"She was all right," eyewitness Frank Hoyte, a Newsday employee, said, adding: "But she was angry." [Newsday]