Yesteday morning Matisyahu posted the above picture of himself on Twitter. A few hours later he wrote "For all of those who are being awesome,you are awesome.For all those who are confused:today I went to the Mikva and Shul just like yesterday." And he issued this statement:

This morning I posted a photo of myself on Twitter.

No more Chassidic reggae superstar.

Sorry folks, all you get is me...no alias. When I started becoming religious 10 years ago it was a very natural and organic process. It was my choice. My journey to discover my roots and explore Jewish spirituality--not through books but through real life. At a certain point I felt the need to submit to a higher level of religiosity...to move away from my intuition and to accept an ultimate truth. I felt that in order to become a good person I needed rules--lots of them--or else I would somehow fall apart. I am reclaiming myself. Trusting my goodness and my divine mission.

Get ready for an amazing year filled with music of rebirth. And for those concerned with my naked face, don't worry...you haven't seen the last of my facial hair.

- Matisyahu

Matisyahu begins his annual winter tour that includes "Festival of Light" shows during Hanukkah, this week in Denver. He plays Music Hall of Williamsburg Dec 19, 20 & 21, and then Webster Hall on the 22nd, before continuing to Philly. Openers change each night and include Aunt Martha and Dub Trio. Tickets at Ticketmaster. Dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Matisyahu shaved off his beard"

"The PS22 Chorus is an elementary school chorus from Public School 22 in Graniteville, Staten Island (New York). It is composed of 60-70 fifth-graders, and is directed by Gregg Breinberg. Students are assigned to the chorus after an annual auditioning process at the beginning of each school year. PS22 is the largest elementary school in Staten Island which draws students from a wide cross section of ethnic groups and socio-economic levels. The chorus meets twice a week during school hours to practice, and performs throughout the year at school functions, local events, and on special requests. It has been featured on several major national news and music networks after its videos had gained international attention within the popular video-sharing site YouTube. As of January, 2011 the chorus's videos have been watched more than 27,000,000 times." [Wikipedia]

Their first appearance on this site came when they appeared on stage with Crowded House at Wellmont Theater. You might also know them as the children's chorus you hear on Passion Pit's "The Reeling."

Check out some brand new videos below, shot by filmmaker Jonathan Kalafer, of the group during some improv sessions and one of them doing an acoustic version of MGMT's "Kids" (a song they were already famous for covering). A recent one of the chorus covering Freelance Whales and some other ones are down there too...

Continue reading "PS22 going to Academy Awards, covered MGMT (new videos) "

photos by Andrew St. Clair

yes, that's Matisyahu & Tokyo Police Club...

Tokyo Police Club and We Barbarians played an invite-only show at the Wired Store on 12/15, much like Ra Ra Riot did a week earlier. It was the Foundations Artist Management Holiday Party and was marked by a surprise appearance from Matisyahu who joined TPC for a cover of his own "Miracle (The Hanukkah Song)". Ayad and Michael from Passion Pit didn't play the party, but they did introduce TPC after jokingly introducing themselves at Foundations interns.

After the Wired Store show, Andrew St. Clair joined TPC at Nancy Whiskey in TriBeCa where they played We Barbarians in a gentlemanly game of shuffleboard.

Matisyahu played a string of Hannukah related shows, including four NYC shows recently, and has a show coming up at Mercury Lounge. TPC have a tour coming up with Two Door Cinema Club which will hit Terminal 5. Passion Pit are playing Wellmont Theater on 12/30 and 12/31.

More pictures below...

Continue reading "Matisyahu played w/ Tokyo Police Club after a set by We Barbarians & a Passion Pit intro @ the Wired Store (pics)"

Tickets for the recently added Prince show at MSG go on Internet Presale @ 10am, MSG/Live Nation/Partner Presale Thursday at 10am, and general sale Friday at noon. Password?

Tom Tom Club have scheduled another show, this time at Irving Plaza on January 12th and tickets are on sale.

Tickets for Rush's MSG show are on Citi Cardmember Presale. General sale begins Friday at 10am.

Tickets are on presale for Cake's Terminal 5 show.

Matisyahu just finished playing a bunch of sold out Hanukkah shows at venues much larger than Mercury Lounge where he is billed as part of "An evening with Cloud Runner (Matisyahu & Friends)." It happens January 26th and tickets go on sale at noon.

The Max Weinberg Big Band and" a Special Set By Andy McKee Plus Guests" is happening at Irving Plaza on January 7th. Tickets are now on "Live Nation" and "Music Geeks" Presales. General sale begins Thursday at 10am.

Tickets for the Scott Kelly (Neurosis) / Wino (Saint Vitus) / Man's Gin (Cobalt) show happening at Mecury Lounge go on AmEx presale at noon.

Tickets go on AmEx presale at noon for the Broken Records show at Mercury Lounge.

Tickets are on sale for the Drums show at The Studio.

There will be advanced tickets (via Todd P) for the Real Estate / Titus Andronicus show at Ridgewood Masonic Temple.

Tickets go on AmEx presale at noon for the Radio Dept show at Webster Hall.

Festival of Strikes: A Benefit for JDub is taking place at Brooklyn Bowl on November 30th (Haukkah eve) featuring JDub artists The Sway Machinery, DeLeon, and other special guests to be added. Eugene Mirman will host. Tickets go on sale Friday at noon.

Highline Ballroom is hosting the 4th Annual Menorah Horah on December 4th. The burlesque-filled lineup for the night includes The Schlep Sisters, Minnie Tonka, Darlinda Just Darlinda, Jonny Porkpie, Sapphire Jones, Dottie Lux, Angelique A'lamode, Etta-May Freeway, Lady Rizo, DJ Mikey Palms and host Seth Herzog

And speaking of Hanukkah (December 1-9, 2010), much like Yo La Tengo, Matisyahu is returning to New York City with Hanukah shows this year, but in a slightly less ambitious way . He'll be here for the two nights preceding Hanukkah and only stay for three actual Hanukah dates (instead of playing all 8 nights in NYC like he did in the past). This time he'll finish up his own "Festival of Light" in other east coast states. Tickets are on sale now for 11/29 at Brooklyn Bowl, 11/30 at Music Hall of Williamsburg w/ Tally Hall, 12/4 at Music Hall of Williamsburg with DJ Rekha, and 12/5 at Music Hall of Williamsburg w/ Moon Taxi. Other dates include 12/1 at Northern Lights - Clifton Park, NY, 12/6 at Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA, 12/7 at Ram's Head Live - Baltimore, MD, 12/8 at Theatre of Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA, and 12/9 at State Theatre - Portland, ME.

Speaking of artists linked to the jam band scene playing multiple nights in NYC with various openers, The Disco Biscuits are playing three nights at Terminal 5, and they definitely win in the opener department. Raekwon is opening up the 12/27 show. DFA artist Holy Ghost! is opening on 12/28 and Crystal Method is 12/29. Tickets are on sale now.

And while we're on the subject, Grateful Dead tribute band, Dark Star Orchestra, is playing The Wellmont Theatre on December 28. Tickets are on sale now.

Tickets are also still on sale for Passion Pit's New Years shows on December 30 and December 31 at The Wellmont Theatre.

The Roots are playing 3 sets on New Years Eve at Brooklyn Bowl.

Guided By Voices, Sharon Jones, Patti Smith, Phish, and Drive-By Truckers, and Gov't Mule are all also playing New Years Eve shows in NYC.

But sorry for getting ahead of myself, you probably still don't even know what you're doing on Halloween.

by BBG

Dub Trio, photo by Dennis Kleiman

Dub Trio are back with an NYC show, and this time it's NOT as the backing band for Matisyahu. Look for the NYC metal/punk/dub hybrid band to take on Santos Party House on May 25th (next Tuesday) "with special guests", their only current date as such. Tickets are on sale. Dub Trio is currently working on their new LP, the follow-up to 2008's Another Sound Is Dying on Ipecac. Dub Trio will act as backing band for Matisyahu at Mountain Jam 2010.

Pete Seeger @ Clearwater Festival 2009 (more by Chris La Putt)

Clearwater Festival, the annual benefit for the Hudson River environmental group of the same name, will be happening this year at Croton-on-Hudson's Croton Point Park on June 19th & 20th. Pete Seeger, the non-profit's founder, plays every year - joining him this year will be Steve Earle, Rhett Miller, Joan Osborne, Buckwheat Zydeco, Felice Bros and more. More of the initial lineup is below. Tickets to the fest are on sale (and currently almost half the door price). Pictures from last year's day one are HERE and day two are HERE.

A bit farther Upstate in Hunter, NY, the three-day Mountain Jam will be happening June 4th-6th. The lineup for that includes Gov't Mule, Levon Helm & Friends, Drive-By Truckers, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, The Avett Brothers, Dr. Dog, Les Claypool, Jay Farrar (of Son Volt), These United States, Justin Townes Earle (note dad, playing above) and Tao Rodriguez-Seeger Band (the same, except grandpa). The full current lineup is below, and tickets are on sale.

Later this summer (in July), Camp Bisco will be in Mariaville, NY.

Lineups so far for both fests are below...

Continue reading "Mountain Jam (6/4-6) the Clearwater Festival (6/19-20) have announced initial 2010 NY concert lineups & tickets "

DOWNLOAD: Macaroons - Hurry Up And Light The Candle (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Phofo - Light That Menorah (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: DJ BC vs. Adam Sandler - Chaukah Song (Goy Mix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Doc Mo Shé - Hanukkah Homeboy (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Chutzpah - Chanukkah's Da Bomb (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Smooth-E - Hanukkah Hey Ya! (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Woody Guthrie - Hanukkah Dance [Alternate Take] (1:24)
DOWNLOAD: Songs in the key of Hanukkah - Dreidel (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: DJ BALAGAN - "Chalutzei Ketzev" (Israeli 70s Beat Mix) (MP3)

Hanukkah started Friday night, but due to the sabbath, Matisyahu (and his non-Jewish openers) kicked off his annual eight-night run on Thursday night (12/10). He continues tonight (12/12):

12/10 @ Webster Hall (w/ Glitch Mob)
12/12 @ Webster Hall (w/ John Brown's Body)
12/13 @ Webster Hall (w/ Cage)
12/14 @ Webster Hall (w/ Brothers Past)
12/16 @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (w/ Rana)
12/17 @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (w/ Kid Koala)
12/19 @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (w/ Travis McCoy)
12/20 @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (w/ Kevin Divine)

Yo La Tengo often plays eight Hanukkah shows too, but unfortunately not this year. Grab a shirt from their 2008 shows HERE.

City Winery is celbrating "Hanukkah Three Ways" with three separate shows in a row on Sunday (12/13).

12/13 {12pm} $5/$10/$25 GA
The Macaroons
Special family show

12/13 {3:30pm} $20 - GA
Yehonatan Geffen
The writer/lyricist/playwright performs his works

12/13 {9pm} $15 GA
Keren Ann
Join the chanteuse for a rare New York show.

Union Hall hosts some holiday-themed burlesque on Thursday, December 17th ("Hanukkah Hotness, Solstice Sexiness, Xmas Exploits, Yuletide Yumminess, and New Year Nudity, courtesy of your host GiGi La Femme with Anita Cookie, Jonny Porkpie, Nasty Canasta, Sizzle Dizzle, and Doc Wasabassco!"). Flyer below.

Speaking of Hanukkah Hotness, "Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad" is running at the Bleecker Street Theatre.

-"Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad" is a night of comedy, music and burlesque, told by the gals who learned to smoke at Hebrew School, got drunk at their Bat-Mitzvahs and would rather have more schtuppa than the chupah. These badass chosen chicks boldly dare to deconstruct years of tradition, expectations and guilt in a fast-paced vaudeville extravaganza.

Also tonight/Saturday (12/12), but at the new Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, it's the Major League Dreidel 2009 Tournament. Gods of Fire will be performing songs from their new album, Hanukkah Gone Metal.

Also at Southpaw, but not until Christmas Eve (12/24), BrooklynVegan is proud to be a sponsor of Jewltide 7, brought to you by JDub and Jewcy with "Boogaloo, Funk, Soul, Menorah Lighting, Soul Clap, Brooklyn Rhythms, Donuts". Dan Saks (aka DeLeon) will be performing with a DJ set by Jonathan Toubin. Tickets are on sale. Heebonism goes down the same night at Fontana's.

And as previously noted, you can also catch DeLeon Wednesday night (12/16) at Knitting Factory. Pharaoh's Daughter is also on the bill, and it's part of the The 5th Annual Sephardic Music Festival which runs from December 12th through the 19th with events at 92YTribeca, Union Hall, Joe's Pub and other places. Full schedule below...

What else?

Continue reading "your guide to Hanukkah events in NYC (2009 shows include Sephardic Music Fest, DeLeon, Jewltide, burlesque & more) "

Chevonne

Jews rejoyce. Orrin Hatch, the Republican Mormon senator from Utah, has written a Hanukkah song: "Eight Days of Hanukkah."

As Hatch told the New York Times, "Anything I can do for the Jewish people, I will do. Mormons believe the Jewish people are the chosen people, just like the Old Testament." [Huffington Post]Orrin Hatch.... and Chevonne, and more below...

Continue reading "videos to get you in the mood (for Chanukah)"

Cold War Kids are headlining Terminal 5 on January 29th. Tickets are now on American Express presale.

Matisyahu does his annual Hanukkah run of shows with various openers (Kevin Devine, Rana, Dub Trio, etc) at Webster Hall and Music Hall of Williamsburg this year. Tickets for all dates are on sale.

Tickets are now on American Express pre-sale for the third Passion Pit show at Terminal 5

Tickets are on American Express pre-sale (@ noon) for the just-added Wolfmother / Heartless Bastards show at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Tickets are still available for tonight's Raise the Roof show (10/28) at Music Hall of Williamsburg with Nada Surf, They Might Be Giants & Charles Bissell.

Obits @ Santos Party House - December 2008 (more by Jonny Leather)

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the Cat Power show happening at Music Hall of Williamsburg. You can still get tickets to the Apollo shows too.

Tickets are still on sale for the John Vanderslice / Mountain Goats show happening at the Society for Ethical Culture.

Tickets are on sale for a February 22nd Matisyahu show at The Bell House in Brooklyn.

Obits are playing the Bell House on March 27th. Tickets are on sale.

The Whitest Kids You Know (comedy) are playing The Bell House on February 26th. Tickets are on sale.

Tickets are on sale for the Throbbing Gristle show at Brooklyn Masonic Temple.

Tickets are on sale for the Les Savy Fav show happening at Brooklyn Masonic Temple.

See some other things that went on sale Friday.

Video of Obits playing live in East River Park over the summer, below...

Continue reading "Cat Power, Obits, Matisyahu, Mtn Goats & other tix on sale"

Les Paul

disco dreidel @ Webster hall (Rahav Segev for The New York Times)

"Matisyahu deployed what may be the only large, mirrored, rotating dreidel in show business -- a Jewish answer to a disco ball -- at Webster Hall on Sunday night, the first night of Hanukkah." [NY Times]

If Matisyahu interests you at all, this recent interview/article at The Jewish Daily Forward is pretty interesting. Matisyahu recently completed his 8-show Hanukkah run at Music Hall of Williamsburg and Webster Hall. Rockwood Music Hall is significantly smaller than those venues. Rockwood Music Hall is significantly smaller than pretty much any other venue.

Mono have a NYC show coming up.

Crystal Castles played Music Hall of Williamsburg on New Years Eve.

Talibam! was playing at midnight on New Years Eve @ Surreal Estate. Video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday?"

DOWNLOAD: Adam Sandler - Hanukkah Song (MP3)

Hanukkah is just a couple of days away, which, most excitingly, means vegan latkes and eight Yo La Tengo shows at Maxwell's with secret openers, comedians and special guests. Last year it was The New Pornographers, Jim James, Mark Arm, Alex Chilton, Versus, The dB's, The Clean, and many others. Who will be the openers this year? All we really know is that comedian Todd Barry will be there on the final night (December 28th). We also know that The Feelies will NOT be opening one of the Hoboken Hanukkah shows (they're opening New Years Eve). Someone commented that they heard She & Him are opening one. I have no idea if that's true. I do have some guesses though.

I would put money on Titus Andronicus (NJXL) as an opener. My other guesses for guests and/or openers are Quasi, Ted Leo, NY Dolls and/or David Johansen, The Fleshtones, AC Newman, The A-Bones, Lou Reed, Endless Boogie, Britt Daniel, Will Sheff, Department of Eagles, Charles Bissell, and Jennifer O'Connor. I expect to be wrong about all or most of those. There will also be an assortment of comedians that may or may not include Jon Benjamin, Jon Glaser, Eugene Mirman, David Cross, John Oliver, Bill Murray and Fred Armisen. Stay tuned for updates, and please comment with your own guesses and/or facts.

Tickets are completely sold out for all eight Yo La Tengo shows. Matisyahu unfortunately can not say the same about his Hanukkah run at Webster Hall and Music Hall of Williamsburg. And his loss is your (or your little sister's or your mom's or maybe nobody you know's) gain. Get $5.00 off tickets by using the code "Light" when buying at Ticketmaster. I also have a few pairs to giveaway to the Matisyahu show of your choice (remember there are eight different openers too).

For a ton of other Hanukkah event options, see HERE. Details on winning Matisyahiu tix below....

Continue reading "Hanukkah is almost here. Who is opening for Yo La Tengo? free & cheap tickets to Matisyahu. Other stuff. "

Continue reading "Langerado Fest, in Miami, in March - initial 2009 lineup"

DOWNLOAD: Woody Guthrie - Hanukkah Dance [Alternate Take] (1:24)
DOWNLOAD: Yo La Tengo - I Feel Like Going Home (live on KCMP) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: One on One with Jackie Hoffman (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Songs in the key of Hanukkah - Dreidel (MP3) (info)
DOWNLOAD: DJ BALAGAN - "Chalutzei Ketzev" (Israeli 70s Beat Mix) (MP3)

Hanukkah runs from sunset, December 21 to sunset, December 29, 2008. The first Day of Hanukkah is December 22. If you haven't figured it it out by now, that means Christmas happens during Hannukah this year.

Over the course of the eight days (and before and after), many candles will be lit and many Hanukkah-themed events will be happening in and around New York City. Many will involve music. Here are a few...

Yo La Tengo will be repeating their tradition of playing all eight nights of Hanukkah at Maxwell's in Hoboken. Not surpringly, advanced tickets are all already sold out at Ticketweb, but to quote the band, "Tickets may still be available in person at Tunes in Hoboken and/or Other Music in NYC". Stay tuned for opener information as it's announced. Yo La Tengo are also playing a show in New Jersey on New Years Eve.

Also playing eights nights (except not all of them are on Hanukkah because he's taking the Sabbath off): Matisyahu. Tickets are still on sale for these shows that take place at Webster Hall in Manhattan and Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. Openers include The LeeVees, Asher Roth and Little Jackie.

Southpaw in Park Slope is hosting Jewltide 6 featuring DeLeon on Christmas Eve. "DeLeon plays 15th Century Spanish indie rock infused with the deeply mysterious and entrancing cadences of the ancient Sephardic tradition." Tickets are on sale. This show is also part of a larger DeLeon/JDub national Hanukkah tour. All dates at the very bottom of this post.

NYC event listings continued below...

Continue reading "a guide to NYC HANNUKAH shows & concerts, MP3's & stuff "

Like Yo La Tengo, Matisyahu is playing eight NYC-area Hanukkah shows this year. This is not the first time Matisyahu did this, but I think Yo La Tengo has been doing it longer. Also, Yo La Tengo has more indie cred. Yo La Tengo tickets are on sale. Matisyahu tickets are on sale (presale code = SHINEBRIGHT). All Matisyahu dates below...

Continue reading "Matisyahu vs. Yo La Tengo - Hanukkah show tickets on sale"

"Earlier that evening, one of the architects handling the restoration of the Wellmont Theater at 5 Seymour St., slated to reopen at the end of October or in early November as a live music and performance venue, also appeared before the commission.

The Rosen Group, a Manhattan-based real estate development company, bought the theater about a year ago and is in the process of refurbishing it.

Michael Costantin, the architect-of-record for the project, said the building, dating to 1922, is one of the largest halls in the nation. Now that many of the remnants of the movie triplex that previously occupied the space have been removed, the view of the house from the stage is "completely awesome," Costantin told The Times. The interior is rife with ornamental plasterwork, with many of the surfaces decorated with relief sculptures.

Work crews are now in the process of transforming the floor, which angles downward toward the stage, into two tiers that descend to the orchestra level. That main floor could be rented out for banquets and other functions, or provide space for about 800 removable, reserved seats for shows, Costantin said. But, more frequently, that area will provide standing room for concerts, while about 1,000 fixed seats will be up in the balcony.

The architects had been hoping they might be able to convert one of the rooms housing an 8-foot-high cast-iron fan, among the building's original exhaust fans, into a VIP lounge, with the huge fan as its centerpiece.

The tenants of the revamped theater, who include Montclair resident and promoter Andy Feltz and the principals of the Bowery Presents, who own the Bowery Ballroom in New York City, have signed a 49-year lease for the theater. The exact dates of the first shows, and who the first acts will be, had not been established as of The Times' deadline, but the lineup was expected to be announced soon." [The Montclair Times] (thx Danielle)

Continue reading "Wellmont Theatre opening 'end of October', initial schedule"

Balkan Beat Box, Apollo Sunshine, The Leevees, Golem, Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, Budos Band, Dengue Fever, Soulico, Mocean Worker and other artists are taking part in "The Eight"...

Taglit-birthright israel & JDub Records are excited to announce the launch of the first-ever multi-city Hanukkah concert event series – The 8. All taking place on December 8, 2007, The Eight celebrates the Festival of Lights with parties in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Seattle, San Francisco and Washington DC (as well as Tel Aviv, Mumbai, Moscow, and Sydney!) that will feature music from up-and-coming artists handpicked by JDub, multimedia performances, and a unique menorah lighting ceremony at each event

Continue reading "THE EIGHT (a "multi-city Hanukkah concert event series")"