Electric Six have announced yet another tour. That includes May 4th at Maxwell's in Hoboken (tickets on sale) and May 5th at Bowery Ballroom (tickets on Am Ex presale Wednesday). All dates below...

Continue reading "Electric Six - 2009 Tour Dates (Maxwell's / Bowery Ballroom)"

DOWNLOAD: Heartless Bastards - The Mountain (MP3)

Erika Wennerstrom is the singer, guitarist and songwriter in a band that immediately gets your attention in two ways. She calls her trio Heartless Bastards, easily one of the best rock-band names of the last decade. And then there's Wennerstrom's voice, soul-deep yet never hysterical, tinged with vibrato. It sounds deeper than the earth and timeless, as if it could just as easily be found on a scratchy 78-rpm blues platter as it is on an MP3 file.

That voice has never sounded more potent than it does on the Heartless Bastards' third and best album, "The Mountain" (Fat Possum). Wennerstrom says she can't remember a day when she didn't want to sing, when she didn't feel that singing would be her life. [Chicago Tribune]

As Largehearted Boy highlighted, the new Heartless Bastards album was just released. Grab track #1 above. Catch the band live at Maxwell's in Hoboken TONIGHT (2/4). Catch them tomorrow in Philly, or Friday and Saturday at Terminal 5 when they (and Lucero) open for the Black Keys. Catch them all over the country as they continue to go on a tour that includes a stop at SXSW, shows with their Fat Possum labelmate Andrew Bird, and a lot of dates with the Gaslight Anthem that include the previously-mentioned gig at Webster Hall on March 27th (tix). Catch them February 10th on David Letterman. Listen to their recent Daytrotter session. All dates below...

Continue reading "HEARTLESS BASTARDS - new MP3 & 2009 Tour Dates (@Maxwells tonight, w/ Black Keys, w/ Gaslight Anthem)"

The Music Tapes @ Mercury Lounge (more Kyle Dean Reinford)

The Music Tapes, aka Julian Koster, "the 7 Foot Tall Metronome, Static the Television and other human bandmembers", are hitting the road again in February. Julian was last here in NYC to sing some Christmas carols, and before that during CMJ, and before that for the Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour. Next he'll be here on March 1st to play Maxwell's in Hoboken (TICKETS), and then two days later again at the Bell House in Brooklyn (TICKETS). All dates below...

Continue reading "The Music Tapes - 2009 Tour Dates (Maxwell's, Bell House)"

by Klaus Kinski

Max & Gabe D & friend @ MoMA - Jan 6, 2009 (by Fred Benenson) (via)

I don't get to see nearly as much comedy as I used to, but the scene is as vibrant as ever. If the mood strikes and I find myself wanting to get my yuck-on there is absolutely no shortage of one-off shows and recurring weekly shows. The Tribeca branch of the 92nd St Y has been booking some insane comedy shows recently. I caught Zach Galifianakis there a few weeks ago and was mightily impressed by the performance space and the insane, reasonably priced beer list at the bar. Sound Fix in Williamsburg has free comedy every Wednesday and Thursday. Joe Mande and Noah Garfinkle host Totally J/K every Wednesday at 9:30pm, while Max Silvestri, Gabe Liedman and Jenny Slate host Big Terriffic at 8:00pm on Thursdays. These shows fill the void left by the demise of Rififi and its staples Invite Them Up and The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show by attracting big names like Zach Galifianakis, Sarah Silverman, Janeane Garofalo, Todd Barry, Eugene Mirman, and zillions more. Speaking of Greg Johnson, he's got a free show every Sunday at Pianos. And speaking of Invite Them Up, former host Bobby Tisdale now has a semi-regular, RSVP only show happening in Greenpoint called Wards of Merkin. It's usually $10 and there's usually free booze and top shelf comedians. And don't forget that the UCB Theater and The Pit have calendars bursting with options as does Comix's underground lair Ochi's. And that's just barely scratching the surface of the goings ons. Below are some shows currently on my radar...

Continue reading "NYC comedy @ 92Y, SoundFix, Comix, Pianos, UCB, places"

Primus's Les Claypool is calling "The Oddity Faire" a "A Mutated Mini Fest". You can also call it a tour with an interchanging set of openers that varies by date. In NYC the show is at Terminal 5 and the openers are Saul Williams, O'Death, and Secret Chief 3. The date is March 28th. Tickets are now on Am Ex presale, and go on regular sale on Friday.

Other openers for the tour are Mutaytor, Yard Dogs, and Devotchka. It's unfortunate that Devotchka is not also on the NYC date, but that makes sense since they can headline Terminal 5 by themselves and have their own show coming up at Webster Hall.

O'Death have also lined up a ton of other tour dates that don't include Les. They'll kick things off in Baltimore on January 29th and end up back in this NYC-area for a February 14th show at Maxwell's with Legendary Shack Shakers. Tickets are on sale. From there they go to Europe before meeting up with the Primus front-man back in the USA in March.

All dates below...

Continue reading "Les Claypool taking Saul Williams, Devotchka & O'Death on The Oddity Faire tour - 2009 Dates"

DOWNLOAD: Vivian Girls - Blind Spot (Daisy Chain cover) (MP3)

Vivian Girls @ the Court Tavern, New Brunswick, NJ (thepiratehat)

Vivian Girls, NYC & NJ 2009
Dec 31 (NYE) - they opened for Yo La Tengo
Jan 04 - they played the Court Tavern (see above)
Jan 11 - they're playing for kids @ the Living Room
Jan 14 - they're playing w/ Titus Andronicus @ Maxwell's
Jan 20 - they're playing w/ Fucked Up & Pissed Jeans @ MARKET HOTEL *
Feb 19 - they're opening for M Ward @ Apollo Theater $

* the MH show was moved from Danbro Studios
$ one of three shows they're playing with M Ward. Weird? yes.

All dates below...

Continue reading "Vivian Girls - kids, M WARD, Titus Andronicus, the Court Tavern, Pissed jeans, Fucked Up & Market Hotel "

Masked men opened many of the YLT Hanukkah shows this year

Yo La Tengo Hanukkah 2008 @ Maxwell's in Hoboken

1. Oneida and Paul F. Tompkins opened. Mix disc by Aesop Rock. Special guests = Janet Weiss & Britt Daniel.
2. The Magnetic Fields opened and John Hodgman opened. Mix disc by Steve Shelley. Special guest = Doug Gillard & Ira's mom.
3. John Zorn & Marc Ribot and Slovin & Allen opened. Mix disc by Gaylord Fields. Special Guests = Yoni Wolf & Smokey Hormel.
4. Jennifer O'Connor and Jon Benjamin opened. Mix disc by Russell Maer.
5. Antietam and Fred Armisen opened. Fred also played drums. Mix disc by Georgia. Special guest = Cyril Jordan.
6. Lambchop and Jon Wurster (as Marky Ramone) opened. Mix disc by James.
7. Willie Alexander and the Boom Boom Band and David Cross (as Rabbi Alan Sugarman) opened. Mix disc by Ira. Special guest = David Mansfield.
8. Metal Mountains and Todd Barry opened. Mix disc by Zooey Deschanel.

How was the New Years one? Did anyone go to all nine shows? Other thoughts? Memories? Best night? Anything?

Videos & stuff below...

Continue reading "all of the 2008 Yo La Tengo holiday show openers & guests "

Lambchop w/ James McNew on bass @ Maxwell's - 12/26/08 (Dawn Sutter Madell)

"Having Lambchop on hand to open [Hanukkah] night 6 [at Maxwell's] was like having a holiday family reunion, minus the drama. There are multiple reasons why we've made record after record in Nashville, and one of them is certainly the chance to eat hot chicken with those guys. Their set was gorgeous, mixing songs from OH (ohio) with a few covers, some more aptly chosen (Bob Dylan's "You're a Big Girl Now") than others (Kurt's What State Is Hoboken In topical shoutout to Caroline with the Wedding Present's "Kennedy"). Were it not for the music stand in front of him, you would never have guessed that James was a fill-in on bass."
[Yo La Tengo]

Continue reading "Lambchop opened for YLT, playing more 2009 shows (dates)"

photos by Toby Tenenbaum

As previously noted, Jennifer O'Connor and comedian Jon Benjamin were the openers for Yo La Tengo Hanukkah night four. Jon went by the name Mark Levinsky. According to the show poster, "Jon Glassner" (not to be confused with Jon Glaser) was also supposed to be on the comedy part of the bill, but according to "Mark", Jon had to call out sick. "Mark" then "read out a VERY funny letter from Glassner accompanied by numerous props including a foot long subway hero, a photo of Jon on a jet ski, and randomly distributed free samples of a well known pharmaceutical product." Mixtapes for the evening were provided by Russell Mael of the band Sparks. In honor of the mixtape Yo La Tengo played a Sparks cover. The whole setlist and more pictures below...

Continue reading "Yo La Tengo, Jennifer O'Connor & Jon Benjamin @ Maxwell's (Hanukkah night 4) - pics & setlist"

photos by Tim Griffin

DOWNLOAD: Yo La Tengo - Beanbag Chair (MP3)

After an opening set by Marc Ribot and John Zorn, and a bit of comedy by Slovin and Allen, Yo La Tengo headlined their third Hanukkah show in a row at Maxwell's on Tuesday with some help by guests Smokey Hormel (on guitar for the whole show) and Yoni Wolf of Why? (for a song at the end). Yoni was last seen playing a few sets at Anticon-fest at Knitting Factory last week, including one with/as his old group cLOUDDEAD. More pictures, and the setlist from Hanukkah Night Three, below...

Continue reading "Yo La Tengo, Smokey Hormel & Yoni Wolf @ Maxwell's, NJ (Hanukkah night three) - pics & setlist"

photos by Tim Griffin

"It takes a Village" (Slovin and Allen)

One more Christmas Eve entertainment option: Chanukomedy @ 92YTribeca. Todd Levin, Amy Schumer, Rachel Feinstein, Joe Mande and Leo Allen will all be there to entertain jou (get it? you + jew = ... that's why I'm not on the bill..).

It will be the second night in a row Leo Allen is part of a funny Hanukkah event. Last night (12/23), he and his partner Slovin were the comedian openers at the Yo La Tengo show at Maxwell's. They came on after Marc Ribot and John Zorn did their thing. To quote Tim, "Slovin and Allen discussed news of the day, gave synopses of two Hillary and two Obama books and were pretty funny."

You can catch Leo Allen every Monday night at the UCB Theatre in NYC. He hosts the show called Whiplash. More Hanukkah pictures below...

Continue reading "Chanukomedy tonight, Whiplash every Monday, Slovin & Allen pics from the Yo La Tengo show last night"

Willie "Loco" Alexander (born 13 January 1943 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American singer and keyboard player based in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

He played with The Lost, The Bagatelle and The Grass Menagerie before becoming a member of The Velvet Underground in late 1971, joining fellow Grass Menagerie alumni Doug Yule and Walter Powers and replacing Sterling Morrison, who had gone off to pursue an academic career.[Wikipedia]

December 27th is also the seventh night of Hanukkah. It would be amazing if Lou Reed were also the special guest that night (although Lou and Willie were never actually in VU at the same time, so maybe not).

Metal Mountains are opening the eighth. John Zorn and Marc Ribot opened the third.

Boom Boom video below...

Continue reading "Willie Alexander & The Boom Boom Band w/ Deborah Frost opening for Yo La Tengo on Chanukah night seven"

photos by Tim Griffin

John Zorn (sax) and Marc Ribot (guitar), playing a set of free jazz, were the surprise opener at Yo La Tengo's third Hanukkah show at Maxwell's last night (12/23). It's the kind of music you'll find played regularly (often by Zorn and/or Ribot) at Zorn's downtown club The Stone. I talked to two Maxwell's attendees after the show. Both had the same sort of "I wanted to like it...I know they are amazing musicians..." kind of attitude about the 30 minute opening set. Next came a set of comedy by Slovin and Allen which came before Yo La Tengo's set which included the special guests Smokey Hormel and Yoni Wolf of Why?. More pictures of the openers below...

Continue reading "John Zorn & Marc Ribot (Yo La Tengo night 3 openers) @ Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ - pics"

photos by Natasha Ryan

As I write this, we're only hours away from sundown on Hanukkah night four, otherwise known as the fourth night in a row Yo La Tengo will play a show at Maxwell's in Hoboken. You already heard all about night two (12/22). The Magnetic Fields opened. Here are the rest of the pictures from that one...

Continue reading "Yo La Tengo, John Hodgman, Doug Gillard & Ira's mom @ Maxwell's in Hoboken (Hanukkah night 2) - pics"

photos by Natasha Ryan

Rainer Werner Fassbinder (May 31, 1945 - June 10, 1982) was a German film director, screenwriter and actor. A premier representative of the New German Cinema. Famous for his frenetic pace in film-making, in a professional career that lasted less than fifteen years Fassbinder completed 35 feature length films; two television series shot on film; three short films; four video productions; twenty four stage plays and four radio plays directed; and 36 acting roles in his own and other's films. He also worked as an actor (film and theater), author, cameraman, composer, designer, editor, producer and theater manager.

Fassbinder was distinguished for the strong provocative current underlying his work and the air of scandal surrounding his artistic choices and private life. His intense discipline and phenomenal creative energy when working were in violent contrast with a wild, self-destructive libertinism that earned him a reputation as the enfant terrible of the New German Cinema, as well as its central figure. He had tortured relationships in his personal life with the people he drew around him in a surrogate family of actors and technicians. However, his pictures demonstrate his deep sensitivity to social misfits and his hatred of institutionalized violence. He ruthlessly attacked both German bourgeois society and the larger limitations of humanity. His films detail the desperate yearning for love and freedom and the many ways in which society, and the individual, thwarts it. A prodigiously inventive artist, Fassbinder distilled the best elements of his sources -- Brechtian theatrics, Artaud, the Hollywood melodramas, classical narrative, and a gay sensibility into a complex body of work.

Fassbinder died at the age of 37 from heart failure resulting from a lethal interaction between sleeping pills and cocaine. His death is often considered to mark the end of the New German Cinema. [Wikipedia]

Continue reading "the Magnetic Fields @ Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ - pics & setlist"

Ira's mom @ Maxwell's in NJ - Dec 22, 2008 (by Liz Clayton) (via)

We actually have more pictures of last night's show coming, but in the meantime I can confirm that The Magnetic Fields did open Yo La Tengo's 2nd 2008 Hanukkah show at Maxwell's. Stephin Merritt also stuck around to sing again during the encore, John Hodgman was the comedian, and Doug Gillard and Ira's mom were the other singing special guests.

Tonight/Tuesday is night three (12/23), and I'm not sure we've figured out who the opener will definitely be yet. Do you know? Night one and two's setlists below...

Continue reading "Yo La Tengo Hanukkah continued, 2008 setlists so far"

the Magnetic Fields @ Loew's, Jersey City (more by Chris La Putt)

As Walter kindly first pointed out, The Magnetic Fields (who are currently working on a new album) are opening for Yo La Tengo at Maxwell's in Hoboken tonight, Monday December 22nd - the second night of Hanukkah. You could say that night two ticketholders won the opener lottery.

Oneida, Britt Daniel and Janet Weiss all showed up last night. Metal Mountains are opening night eight. Who will open nights three, four, five, six and seven? Gut Bank?

The above drawing is a segment of the songsheet Oneida passed out at Sunday night's show at Maxwell's in Hoboken (12/21). It was the first of eight Yo La Tengo Hanukkah parties at the NJ venue this year, and, as promised, the Brooklyn band (Oneida) opened the night. As also promised, comedian Paul F. Tompkins opened with a set of comedy. AND, I'm feeling really good right now because two (sort of) of my guest guesses also came true last night. Both Britt Daniel and Janet Weiss (I guessed Britt and "Quasi") joined Yo La Tengo for some songs. To quote an email I got from Josh,

Oneida opened.
Then Paul F Tompkins.
Then YLT with Janet Weiss
For the encore - Paul F Tomkins joined the band and sang a Hannukah version of [Johnny Cash's] "Ring of Fire"
Then Britt Daniel joined and sang a few songs including "Mother and Child Reunion" [by Paul Simon]

The shows continue tonight (Monday, Hanukkah night two). We now know the openers for night eight, but who will open tonight? Will it be Titus Andronicus? Will it be Antietam? I'm not sure. Post your guesses and facts in the comments.

Download the whole Oneida songsheet (thx Josh) as a PDF HERE. Check out a Yo La Tengo video from last year's Hanukkah run, below...

Continue reading "It's Hanukkah Bitch! Britt Daniel & Janet Weiss joined Yo La Tengo, Oneida & Paul F Tompkins @ Maxwell's last night"

Metal Mountains (Helen Rush, PG Six, Samara Lubelski) are opening Yo La Tengo's eighth 2008 Hanukkah show at Maxwell's on December 28th. It's the bill we already know Todd Barry will also be a part of. All (two) dates below...

Continue reading "Metal Mountains - tour dates (Yo La Tengo Hanukkah night 8)"

Sun Dec 21st - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's - Day one of Yo La Tengo's annual Hanukkah Celebration. This show is sold out but you might be able to find tickets on Craig's List. Check it out. . .we will be playing some exclusive songs for this. [Oneida]

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. "

photos by Toby Tenenbaum

Meat Puppets and Oakley Hall played their first of two NYC-area shows together, last night (12/11) at Maxwell's. Their NYC one is Saturday at MHOW. More MP dates HERE. More pictures from last night below...

Continue reading "Meat Puppets & Oakley Hall @ Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ - pics"

photos by Tim Griffin

Boss Hog played their first show back together as a band last night, December 3rd, at Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ. Front-woman Christina Martinez stayed fully clothed as she and hubby Jon Spencer (and drummer and keyboardist and bassist) tore through a set of their bluesy punk rock songs, in alphabetical order, to an enthusiastic crowd. They played an encore, but not "White Out" (It was requested, they refused). Tickets are still on sale for their December 17th NYC show at Bowery Ballroom. All dates HERE. More Maxwell's pictures below...

Continue reading "Boss Hog (Jon Spencer) @ Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ - pics"

By Andrew Frisicano

The Thermals @ Fontana's (more)

NJ's Titus Andronicus recently signed with XL, who will release the band's future TBA recordings. First, XL will re-release The Airing of Grievances (previously on Troubleman Unlimited) on January 20th.

Titus goes on a 2009 tour with Los Campesinos! that includes two February shows at Bowery Ballroom (tickets), but first Titus will headline their own show at Maxwell's in their own state (on January 14th). Tickets are also on sale.

In other signings news, Kill Rock Stars announced that it will release the next Thermals record, titled Now We Can See, on April 7, 2009. KRS also reports, "a 7" of the first single, "When I Died," will precede the album on March 10th followed by a trip to SXSW."

The announcement ends The Thermals' five-year, three-album Sub Pop run. The Seattle label also recently lost Sweden's Loney Dear (a.k.a Emil Svanängen) - who has two Dec NYC dates - to Polyvinyl.

All tour dates below...

Continue reading "The Thermals, Titus Andronicus, new labels & shows"

Photos by Leia Jospe

Titus Andronicus played a show with Abe Vigoda and Love is All at Maxwell's the other night (10/13). This Saturday night (10/18) they play Market Hotel in Brooklyn with the So So Glos. All tour dates and more Maxwell's pictures below...

Continue reading "Titus Andronicus - Maxwell's pics, more 2008 Tour Dates"