Dawes at SXSW 2013 (more by Sarah Frankie Linder)

As mentioned, Bob Dylan's AmericanaramA is coming to the NYC area for a few shows in July, including one at Camden, NJ's Susquehanna Bank Center on July 28 with Wilco and My Morning Jacket. Since announcing that tour, it's been revealed that the Camden tour stop is also part of this year's XPoNential Music Festival. The fest is also features Polica, Dr. Dog, and others at Susquehanna Bank Center the day before (7/27) Dylan and co. play.

And a number of bands will also be performing in Wiggins Park that weekend, including Phosphorescent, Dawes, Dr. John, Michael Kiwanuka, Justin Townes Earle, Jose James, Lord Huron, Matt Pond, Red Baraat, Edward Sharpe, and more. 3-day passes for the festival are on sale now, and tickets for just the Bob Dylan/Wilco/MMJ show are still available.

Dylan's tour also includes NYC-area shows on 7/19 at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard in CT with Wilco and MMJ, 7/26 at Pier A Park in Hoboken with Wilco and MMJ, and 7/27 at Jones Beach with Wilco and Beck. Tickets for the Harbor Yard, Pier A Park, and Jones Beach shows are still available.

Initial XPoNential Music Festival lineup below...

Continue reading "XPoNential Music Festival 2013 lineup & tix (Bob Dylan, Wilco, MMJ, Phosphorescent, Lord Huron, Dawes, Dr. John & more)"

John Fogerty at 'Sound City Players' NYC show (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Rock legend John Fogerty (formerly of Creedance Clearwater Revival) released his ninth solo album, Wrote a Song for Everyone, on May 28 (his 68th birthday) and features many of his hits performed with contemporary artists like Foo Fighters, My Morning Jacket, and others, in addition to a few new songs. He will be touring in support of it, stopping in NYC for a show at Beacon Theater on November 12. Tickets to that show go on sale Monday (6/17) at noon. They're on Fan Club and VIP presale now, and Local, Ticketmaster, and Social presales start Thursday (6/13) at 10 AM.

All tour dates are listed, along with the video for "Mystic Highway" from his new album, below...

Continue reading "John Fogerty released a new LP, touring (dates & video)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

Jim James @ Webster Hall, 4/29/2013

It's a strange juxtaposition going from witnessing a caped James fronting My Morning Jacket at a packed Madison Square Garden, which holds roughly 20,000 during concerts, to seeing his dancing, up-close in a Blues Brothers-themed suit, 20 blocks south at Webster Hall, which fills with a little more than 1,400 at the main stage. But last night proved that venue has little influence and Jim James can and always will beguile an audience of any size. - [Baeblemusic]

Jim will be back in town this summer for a collaborative show with The Roots in Prospect Park, and also with My Morning Jacket when they open for much of Bob Dylan and Wilco's Americanarama tour (though not at Nikon @ Jones Beach, where Beck will open). More shots from Webster Hall are below.

Continue reading "Jim James played Webster Hall with Cold Specks (pics)"

Wilco @ Prospect Park 2012 (more by Dana [distortion] Yavin)

As mentioned a couple times, the AmericanaramA tour with Bob Dylan and Wilco is coming to the NY area this summer with five shows, including Nikon at Jones Beach on July 27 with opener Beck. The other four area shows have My Morning Jacket as opener and are July 19 The Ballpark at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, CT, July 21 at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga, NY, July 26 at Pier A Park in Hoboken, NJ, and July 28 at Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ.

Tickets to four of these shows go on presale today (4/30) at 10 AM. (Jones Beach and Sartoga PAC are here; Harbor Yard are here; Pier A Park are here; Susquehanna Bank Center are already on sale.) For these and all presales happening today, the password is ""TENACIOUS."

Jim James of MMJ at MHOW in February (more by PSquared Photography)

As mentioned, Bob Dylan is going on a big tour this year for which he's taking out Wilco and My Morning Jacket for support. That tour hits the NYC area on July 17 The Ballpark at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, CT, July 26 at Pier A Park in Hoboken, NJ, July 27 at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, NY, and July 28 at Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ. Since first posting that tour, we've learned that My Morning Jacket will not be on the Jones Beach show, but they will play all three other NYC-area dates.

UPDATE: Beck is playing the Jones Beach show instead of MMJ.

Tickets for the Jones Beach, Pier A, and Ballpark at Harbor Yard shows go on general sale Saturday, May 4 at 10 AM with Citi Cardmember presales starting Thursday, May 2 at 10 AM. Tickets for the Susquehanna Bank Center show are on bobdylan.com presale now (password: "TENACIOUS"), a Citi Cardmember presale starts today (4/25) at 10 AM and general sale starts Saturday (4/27) at 10 AM.

All dates are listed below...

Continue reading "ticket info posted for the Bob Dylan, Wilco & My Morning Jacket shows; MMJ not playing the Jones Beach date"

Bob Dylan, who is currently on tour with Dawes, just announced his AmericanaramA: Festival of Music tour, which he'll be going on this summer. And he's tapped some pretty incredible support to go along with him: Wilco and My Morning Jacket. That tour hits the NYC area on July 19 The Ballpark at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, CT, July 26 at Pier A Park in Hoboken, NJ, July 27 at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, NY, and July 28 at Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ. Ryan Bingham is also on all three of those dates and several others as well, and Richard Thompson is supporting on some of the other shows, but none in the NYC area. A ticket presale begins on Bob Dylan's site this Wednesday (4/24). Stay tuned for more ticket info. All dates are listed below.

UPDATE: My Morning Jacket are not playing the Jones Beach show, but they will be on the other three NYC-area dates.

As mentioned, My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James is also on his own tour that hits NYC for a sold out show on April 29 at Webster Hall with Cold Specks and for a Celebrate Brooklyn! show at Prospect Park on June 18, where he'll be playing a collaborative set with The Roots. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

All Bob Dylan dates are listed, along with a video of him playing "Tangled Up In Blue" with Mark Knopfler at their 2012 Barclays Center show and the tour flyer, below...

Continue reading "Bob Dylan announces 'AmericanaramA: Festival of Music' tour w/ Wilco & My Morning Jacket (dates)"

Jim James at MHOW in February (more by PSquared Photography)

My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James is on a tour this year which hits Newport Folk Festival and NYC for a sold out show at Webster Hall (4/29) with Cold Specks.

Meanwhile, hip hop renaissance men The Roots have their own dates scheduled, including one in NYC on April 25 at BAM for day 1 of the Crossing Brooklyn Ferry festival with Julia Holter, Parquet Courts, Solange, David Longstreth, TV on the Radio, Phosphorescent and others (4/25 tix and 3-day passes) and Philly on June 1 Penns Landing for The Roots Picnic with Grimes, Solange, Joey Bada$$, How to Dress Well, Hit-Boy, Araabmuzik, and others (tickets).

These two tours will cross paths in Brooklyn on June 19 18 at Prospect Park with The Roots and Jim James play a collaborative show at the outdoor venue as part of the Celebrate Brooklyn! 2013 season. (UPDATE: The show was moved to June 18.) Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (4/19) at noon with AmEx and venue presales starting Wednesday (4/17) at 10 AM. Other currently announced Celebrate Brooklyn! shows include a free Patty Griffin show on 6/5, a Belle & Sebastian and Yo La Tengo show on 7/11 (tickets), and a Barenaked Ladies, Ben Folds Five, and Guster show on 7/30 (tickets).

In related news, Roots members Captain Kirk Douglas and Mark Kelly are playing a show with their other band, The Dust Rays, on April 22 at Mercury Lounge with The Juggs and The Veldts. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Updated Jim James and Roots dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Jim James & The Roots playing collaborative Celebrate Brooklyn! show at Prospect Park (updated dates)"

Jim James w/ MMJ at Capitol Theatre in 2012 (more by PSquared Photography)

My Morning Jacket frontman JIm James, who was just announced for Bonnaroo, is currently on his previously discussed tour in support of his new solo album, Regions of Light and Sound of God, which hits NYC for multiple shows. Those shows include tonight's (2/19) sold out MHOW show with Dean Wareham, and Wednesday's super intimate sold out show at McKittrick Hotel (2/20). However, if you'd like to get into tomorrow's McKittrick show, you've still got a chance because we are giving away a pair of tickets, courtesy of show sponsor RDIO. The tickets only grant access to Jim's set, not the "Sleep No More" show, which happens right afterwards.

Jim's dates also include other NYC shows on Thursday (2/21) for the Tibet House benefit, and a sold out show at Webster Hall (4/29) with Cold Specks. All other dates are listed HERE.

Contest details below...

Continue reading "Jim James is here, win tickets to the McKittrick Hotel show"

Retribution Gospel Choir @ Chicagos' Schuba's, 2012 (more by Grant MacAllister)

Bleeding Rainbow @ Knitting Factory, June 2012 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

today in NYC
* Bedroom @ The Stone
* Jeff Garlin @ Caroline's
* Bilal @ Highline Ballroom
* Slavic Soul Party @ Barbes
* Sarah Goldfeather @ Barbes
* Trombone Shorty @ Marquee
* A$AP Ferg, Fat Trel @ S.O.B.'s
* Christopher Merritt @ The Stone
* Dead Kennedys @ Gramercy Theatre
* Two Lights, Edith Pop @ Bowery Electric
* Sunset Guns, Stephen Selman @ Big Snow
* Child Abuse, Radiation, Blackbody @ Saint Vitus
* Bridget Everett & The Tender Moments @ Joe's Pub
* George Clinton & The P-Funk All-Stars @ B.B. King's
* Silent Draper Runners' "Ritual for Bob" @ Videology
* Marco Benevento, Johnny Vidacovich @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Mumford & Sons, Ben Howard, Haim @ Barclays Center
* Chris Mills, Mary Bragg, Barnaby Bright @ The Living Room
* Relatives, Heart of Darkness, Noble Laureate @ Muchmore's
* The Sea The Sea, Bryan Dunn, Zach Hurd @ Pete's Candy Store
* Bleeding Rainbow, The Neighbors, Census, Spires @ Glasslands
* Brown Bird, Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons @ Mercury Lounge
* Jay Green, Justin Williams, Zachary Lipez, Tim Harrington @ Union Pool
* Face Crimes, Yeah Well Whatever, Hawt Mess, Fuxk Yeah @ Silent Barn
* Thick Wild, Sewing Machines, Thomas Kivi, Wild Leaves @ Cameo Gallery
* Johanna and The Dusty Floor, Salt Cathedral, Hank & Cupcakes @ Pianos
* Gilbert Gottfried, Dave Attell, W. Kamau Bell, Artie Lang @ Gotham Comedy Club
* Retribution Gospel Choir, Alan Sparhawk, BB&C, Nightlands @ The Knitting Factory
* ?uestlove, PitchBlak Brass Band, Cyndi Lauper, Piyali Banerjie, Wendy Brackman @ Le Poisson Rouge

HAIM, who open for Mumford & Sons tonight at Barclays Center, will release their new EP on April 1 and you can stream a track from it, "Falling," below.

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My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James released his solo album Regions Of Light And Sound Of God last week and will be playing NYC later this month. He also recently released the video for single "A New Life" and if you like minotaurs, you won't want to miss this video, which you can watch below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

Jim James w/ MMJ at Capitol Theatre in 2012 (more by PSquared Photography)

As mentioned, My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James is releasing his debut solo LP, Regions of Light and Sound of God, on February 5 via ATO, and you can now hear the whole thing over at NPR.

Jim has a few previously discussed shows coming up, including a set at the Tibet House 23rd Annual Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall (2/21) (tickets) and two other small NYC shows, MHOW (2/19) and the even tinier McKittrick Hotel (2/20), both of which are sold out. But if you weren't able to get tickets, you've got another chance. Jim just announced a full tour which will happen this April and May and it brings him back to NYC for a show at the larger Webster Hall on April 29. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (2/1) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Thursday (1/31) at noon.

Jim will also perform on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on February 4 with The Roots and he will return to the show the next day to sit in for the entire episode as a guest performer.

A list of all dates and streams of two tracks off his new album, below...

Continue reading "Jim James streaming new album, announces tour (dates)"

Jim James w/ MMJ at Capitol Theatre in December (more by Greg Cristman)

My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James will release his first solo album, Regions of Light and Sound of God, on February 5 via ATO. He's revealed two tracks off that album, "A New Life" and "Know Til Now," which you stream below. Also below is the album's cover art and tracklist.

As mentioned, Jim James will be in NYC for the Tibet House 23rd Annual Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall on February 21 with Philip Glass, tUnE-yArDs, Rahzel, Patti Smith with Jessie Smith, and more TBA (tickets and special packages are available). Jim James has added a few other club dates happening around that same time, including a Philly show and another NYC date on February 19 at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (1/18) at noon. There's also a roll call presale for the Philly show and the MHOW show that starts today (1/16) at 3 PM and on Thursday (1/17) the presale will be opened up to the entire MMJ mailing list. He also plays an intimate Rdio-presented show at The McKittrick Hotel on February 20 (sold out).

A list of all dates, song streams, cover art, and tracklist are below...

Continue reading "Jim James releasing solo LP, playing shows (dates, streams)"

photos by Greg Cristman

My Morning Jacket / Jim James @ the Capitol Theater

My Morning Jacket play Boston tonight for New Year's Eve, followed by a Sandy benefit in NJ on Wednesday (1/2), and Jim James will be part of the next Tibet House benefit concert in 2013.

MMJ kicked off their three-night run at Port Chester's Capitol Theatre on Thursday (12/27) and continued the following two nights. As previously mentioned, each night got an entirely different setlist and a different band opened each night too, with Friday (12/28) getting Antibalas and Saturday (12/29) getting Floating Action. Friday's show got "Holdin' On To Black Metal," their cover of Elton John's "Rocket Man," "Golden," and others; while Saturday got "Circuital," "Evil Urges," "Wordless Chorus," and others.

Pictures and the setlist from night 1 are HERE. Pics of night 2 and the setlists and some videos from night 2 and 3 are below...

Continue reading "My Morning Jacket wrapped up their run at the Cap (setlists, videos, night 2 pics)"

tUnE-yArDs at Lollapalooza 2012 (more by James Richards IV)

The Tibet House Annual Benefit Concert will return for its 23rd year at Carnegie Hall on February 21. Like in past years, artistic director Philip Glass will perform and he's brought along a typically awesome and diverse lineup of Jim James (whose band My Morning Jacket just kicked off a 3-night run at the Capitol Theatre), tUnE-yArDs, Rahzel, Patti Smith with Jessie Smith, and more TBA. Tickets for the concert are on sale now via Carnegie Hall and special packages that include a dinner reception with the performers can be purchased via Tibet House US. Proceeds from ticket sales will support Tibet House US, the Hurricane Sandy Relief Foundation, and the TIbet Community of New York & New Jersey.

Rahzel also took part in the 2012 Tibet House Benefit Concert. Check out pictures from that.

In related news, Patti Smith recently announced that she's working on a sequel to her memoir, Just Kids.

photos by PSquared Photography

My Morning Jacket kicked off their three-night run at Port Chester's Capitol Theatre last night (12/27). They've got a different opener each night, and last night it was Deer Tick (pics from their set HERE). Tonight (12/28) it's Antibalas and on Saturday (12/29) it's Floating Action. All three nights are sold out.

MMJ, whose member Tom Blankenship recently told us his Top Albums of 2012, promised not to repeat songs at any of the three nights so if you're going tonight or Saturday you can at least expect not to hear any of last night's setlist which included songs like "Off the Record," "Outta My System," "Magheetah," and many more (the full setlist is below). However, you might have some idea what you will hear if you participated in the band's Spontaneous Curation Series, where you got to help pick the songs they'll play.

After the Capitol Theatre run concludes, MMJ will celebrate New Year's Eve with a show at Boston's Agganis Arena. They then play a Sandy benefit in NJ two days later. Jim James is also part of the next Tibet House benefit concert in 2013.

More pics of MMJ, the setlist, and a few videos from Thursday's show below...

Continue reading "My Morning Jacket began their 3-night run at The Cap (night 1 pics, setlist, videos)"

photos by PSquared Photography

Deer Tick @ The Cap

Deer Tick, who recently finished up a residency at Brooklyn Bowl (night three pics HERE), opened for My Morning Jacket on night 1 of their three-night run at Port Chester's Capitol Theatre last night (12/27). Pictures from their set are in this post and pics of MMJ are HERE.

Deer Tick are continuing to tour and will play Maxwell's in Hoboken TONIGHT (12/28) with Two Gallants, one of a few shows the two bands are playing together in December (and they'll tour Australia together in February). Tonight's show is now sold. If you didn't manage to get tickets, you can still get tickets to Deer Tick's friends Lucero's shows at Brooklyn Bowl tonight and Saturday (tickets for for night 1, night 2, or both nights).

Both Deer Tick/Two Gallants and My Morning Jacket will be heading to Cambridge/Boston for New Year's Eve (separately). Deer Tick/Two Gallants play The Sinclair while MMJ will take over the Agganis Arena with Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

More pics from the Cap and a list of updated Deer Tick dates below...

Continue reading "Deer Tick played Capitol Theatre, play Maxwell's tonight & Cambridge on NYE w/ Two Gallants (pics, updated dates)"

Love it or loathe it, New Year's Eve is coming. Here are some of this year's NYC concert options, of which there are many.

One of the biggest shows of the night is Coldplay and Jay-Z at Barclays Center. If you've seen pictures of Coldplay's tour this year, you know they have this bluetooth controlled, light-up wristbands that (no matter how you feel about their music) makes for a spectacular interactive experience. And certainly Jay-Z will throw a good party at his own house.

Jay-Z's pal Kanye West is doing a three-night run in Atlantic City right before NYE (12/28-30) at Revel. Tickets for those shows are still available.

Another hip hop option includes Nas at Radio City Music Hall that also features Elle Varner. Tickets are still available.

Azealia Banks is playing a black tie party on top of The Standard Hotel (aka Boom Boom Room). More info is at the facebook event. You can RSVP for tickets ($250 minimum) by emailing unifiedpromo@unifiedpromo.com.

Also in the biggest NYE show race there is also Phish's sold-out night at MSG, part of a four night run at the venue.

If jam bands are your thing, you might also want to catch The Disco Biscuits, who kick off their four-night run at Best Buy Theater tonight (12/26) and then play NYE at The Theatre at MSG (tickets).

Another jammy option is Gov't Mule's two-night run at Beacon Theatre (12/30-31). Tickets for both nights are on sale.

If you're more into dancing, RJD2 will be DJing at Gramercy Theater with Com Truise and Chrome Sparks; and Moby and many others will be DJing at an as-yet undisclosed location (tickets).

Pretty Lights is also doing two sold nights at Roseland Ballroom (12/30-31). Another dance option that you might want to avoid is Afrojack is playing two nights on Pier 94 (12/30-31), but it's worth mentioning that if you get there early on night 1, you can catch opening sets by Diplo and Rusko. Night 2 (aka NYE) is sold out but night 1 is still on sale.

Brooklyn dance party The Bunker is throwing an event at the 70 N 6 St loft (above Public Assembly) with John Roberts, Mike Parker, Bryan Kasenic, and Mike Servito. Tickets for that party are on sale now.

Downstairs at the actual Public Assembly, Gaze 4 Daze is throwing two queer parties. Room 1 has DJ sets by Rizzla, Sebastian, and D'Hana, along with Emcee Ryann Supamakenzi and host Cherlyn. In room 2, they've got MIchael Magnan, Amber Valentine, Telfar, Mursi Layne, host Helen Harris, and live performances by House of Ladosha, Cakes Da Killa, and Abdu Ali. $10 at the door gets you into both parties.

Brooklyn warehouse party group Rubulad is presenting "Party-Go-Round" in three separate secret Bushwick locations near the Jefferson L stop. There will be live music by Friend Roulette, Not Waving but Drowning, Viva, and more; dance parties with music by DJ Shakey, Ol' Stark, DJ Mojo, $mall ¢hange and more; a puppet show, a midnight champagne toast, and more. Admission is $20, the events start at 9 PM, and there will be a party bus to navigate between the three locations.

Matthew Dear and Superpitcher are at Le Bain (tix); Ian Pooley, Pat Mahoney and more at Cameo; Onra, Nick Catchdubs, and Samo Sound Boy are at Williamsburg's Villian (tickets).

Holy Ghost! and Midnight Magic are at Brooklyn Bowl (sold out) and after that, Holy Ghost!'s DFA labelmate Juan Maclean will DJ an afterparty at the same venue (tickets).

Chris Keating of Yeasayer is DJing a BangOn!NYC-presented party at a secret warehouse location in Williamsburg near the Montrose L stop with Felix Cartal, Chordashian, Alex English, Sean Glass, and many others. There will also be live music by Carousel, Suntalk, and more TBA, art installations, an inflatable obstacle course, food trucks, and more. Tickets (more info at that link) are on sale and RSVP is open. Location will be revealed with the purchase of tickets or an RSVP.

If you'd rather dance to classic soul and R&B, there's New York Night Train Annual Dusk Till Dawn New Year's Ball at Home Sweet Home featuring a live performance from Kid Congo and the K-Holes, plus Jonathan Toubin and a crew of DJs.

For the indie rock inclined, you could go see Titus Andronicus at Glasslands which is a pretty small venue for them these days. While So So Glos were originally on the bill for this, they have since dropped off. Dapwell, formerly of Das Racist, is your MC for the evening and tickets are still available.

Right next door at 285 Kent, Florida's (awesomely) mopey Merchandise will visit,  plus Blanche Blanche Blanche, Tonstartssbandht and "speciial guests" (note the two ii's is "speciial") will surely be a wild night. Dive in, tickets ($20) are on sale now.

After that, DJ Rashad, DJ Manny, Sasha Go Hard, and others will play an afterparty at 285 Kent (tickets).

Psychic Ills and Herb Craft are playing Saint Vitus. Tickets for that show are on sale.

Also happening in Williamsburg, They Might be Giants play a sold-out show at Music Hall of Williamsburg (one of three shows there that week; Reverend Vince Anderson and His Love Choir will be at Union Pool (free); and at Knitting Factory it's a night of cabaret hosted by the great Murray Hill (tix).

More indie rock: Blonde Redhead and Beach Fossils are at Irving Plaza. Tickets are still available and you can also win a pair from us.

Swimming Cities and Gowanus Ballroom (55 9th St) are presenting The First Party Ever: Primal Reset for the Year Zero with dance parties by Barney Iller, DJ Shakey, and DJ Tinseltown; live music at midnight by Stumblebum Brass Band; an open bar from 11:30-12:30; visuals; "Serret's patented coal fire hot tub time machine"; "Live birth of the antichrist, according to Doctor Adventure"; and more. $15 tickets are on sale now (or $20 at the door, cash only) and all proceeds go to recovery at Serret Metal Works and the "BOATEL" art hotel project in Far Rockaway that were damaged during Hurricane Sandy.

Meanwhile across the Hudson, The Hold Steady will ring in 2013 with Lucero at The Wellmont Theatre in NJ. Tickets are still available.

Before that, Lucero will do a two-night run at Brooklyn Bowl (12/28-29) with Nude Beach supporting on night 1 and Hollis Brown on night 2. Tickets for night 1, night 2, or both are still available.

Amanda Palmer will be at Terminal 5, playing Prince's Purple Rain in its entirety which will surely be a spectacle. She'll play a set of originals too. Tickets are still available.

If you'd like to party like it's 1929, Spirit Family Reunion are bringing the old time religion to Pianos. Tickets are still available, includes a champagne toast.

More rootsy options include The Punch Brothers and Michael Daves at Bowery Ballroom (sold out); and The Felice Brothers, Yellowbirds, and Mail the Horse at Mercury Lounge (sold out).

The Felice Brothers also play Maxwell's (12/30) a day earlier (sold out), and on New Year's Eve, the Hoboken venue will host "Maxwell's Rockin' & Rollin' Ass Kickin' New Year's Eve Dance Party feat. The Two Giants: Todd-O-Phonic Todd & Mono-O-Phonic Matt Porter." They get their name from being big San Francisco Giants fans, and they'll be spinning "some of the greatest soul, r'n'b, garage, rock'n'rol etc" all night. Admission is totally free, no cover.

My Morning Jacket is doing a sold out pre-New Year's Eve three-night run (12/27-29) at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.

After that, Capitol Theatre will host Steve Miller Band on 12/30 (tickets) and funky METERS with Dumpstaphunk on NYE (tickets).

For some old school punk, Manitoba (the project of Dictators frontman Dick Manitoba) and Sylvain Sylvain (of New York Dolls) will play Bowery Electric with The A-Bones and Daddy Long Legs. Tickets for that show are on sale.

To keep the party going the next day, head to SOB's for Questlove's holiday party.

Whatever you end up doing, be safe!.

What did we miss?

Heading to Austin? We have a list of shows happening there too. Update: And Chicago too.

Continue reading "A guide to New Year's Eve shows and parties in NYC"

"My Morning Jacket was formed in 1998 in Louisville, Kentucky by singer, songwriter and guitarist Jim James (real name: James Olliges Jr). The original line-up also included three members of the Shelbyville emo-punk band Winter Death Club; namely John McQuade (later known as Johnny Quaid - guitar and vocals), Tom Blankenship (later known as Two Tone Tommy - bass) and J. Roberts (later known as J. Glenn - drums)." [Wikipedia]

MMJ bassist Tom Blankenship (who also recently helped out with Brooklyn Rock Lottery) gave us his list of Top 10 LPs of 2012. While it includes year-end list mainstays Frank Ocean and Alt-J, there are some surprises as well. You can check out his year-end picks below.

Continue reading "My Morning Jacket's Tom Blankenship lists his Top 10 albums of 2012"

My Morning Jacket will join Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Joseph Arthur, Nicole Atkins, River City Extension, Tangiers Blues Band and special guests for a Hurricane Sandy Benefit at Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, NJ on January 2, 2013:

"Following Hurricane Katrina, the response from around the world was overwhelming," say Ben Jaffe, creative director of Preservation Hall Jazz Band. "Now it's our time to give back to a devastated community where many of our friends, family and supporters call home. In New Orleans, we turn to our music during hard times. It offers us hope and the feeling that things will be better. We are doing what we always do during hard times: celebrate life. Hopefully this will bring some joy to the residents of the devastated region at a time of great heartache."

In other news, Jim James is preparing to release his solo LP Regions of Light & Sound of God, due on February 5. Check out "Know Til Now" below, and preorder your copy if so desired.

Tom Blankenship of MMJ recently participated in the Rock Lottery at Knitting Factory (pictures).

Nicole Atkins is also trying to raise money for Neptune City with a new track.

Jim James track is below.

Continue reading "My Morning Jacket headlines Sandy benefit in Asbury Park with Nicole Atkins & others; Jim James readies solo record"

photos by Greg Cristman; words by Bill Pearis

Jeff Goldbloom / fish. @ Brooklyn Rock Lottery 3

The third annual Brooklyn Rock Lottery happened at Knitting Factory on Saturday (12/1). Musicians of varying styles and ages met at 10 AM and put their names in a hat and the five drummers picked their bandmates at random out of it. They then spent the day coming up with a name, writing original songs and practicing and made their stage debut that night. Proceeds from tickets and merch went to Hurricane Sandy relief. It was a lot of fun.

Even though the members were chosen at random, it seemed like the bands formed kind of naturally and had a cohesive sound. First up for the night was Jazz Karate, which featured Kenny Bernard (Ra Ra Riot), Franz Nicolay (ex Hold Steady / Against Me!), Pamela Martinez (Teletextile), Matt Singer, and Tom Blankenship (My Morning Jacket). With a harp and an accordion onstage, their music veered towards gypsy jazz and included a song about Tony Danza.

Next was Jeff Goldbloom whose members were Lua Rios (Gold Lake), Nick Sylvester (Mr. Dream), Noah Kardos-Fein (YVETTE), and Craig Lulada Pfunder (VHS or Beta). With a distinct sound -- heavy, shoegazy guitar epic-ry -- they were definitely the one group of the night that I'd actually want to see again. Good!

Then came the band I was most looking forward to, that had Yuck drummer Jonny Rogoff, Hospitality bassist Brian Betancourt, and Spanish Prisoners main man Leo Maymind, not to mention Dave Harrington from Nicholas Jaar's band and Gang Signs' Bryan Quackenbush. I was expecting melodic pop, but their name -- fish. -- shoulda been a giveaway. They played one 12-minute "jazz odyssey" type jam that showed just how good their collective musicianship was, but this has never been my thing.

Hardcore Lørd were next and it was almost entirely electronic, with tons of gear and lots of wires onstage. The band was Oliver Chapoy (Certain Creatures / ex Warm Ghost), Michael Sheffield (Sweet Bulbs / Heaven's Gate), Sara Lucas (Callers), and Christopher Puidokas (who toured with Blonde Redhead / The Silent Years). They took forever to set up but were probably my second favorite of the night, warm and ethereal.

The last band of the night was Nylon Guy and easily the most odds-n-sods, with Tyler Villard (Bezoar), Ian Young (touring saxophonist of M83), George Langford (Javelin), Jen Goma (People Get Ready / Sunny Day in Glasgow), and David Sheinkopf (The Subjects). No concessions were made to have a cohesive sound and everybody got to do their thing -- Villard doing a lot of hammer-on soloing, and Young smnoothing things out with his horn, and everyone else just kind of filling in the gaps. They did do a decent cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark," though.

ANIMAL New York were there too and got straight-off-the-board recordings of everybody except Nylon Guy. Check out streams of the other bands, as well as more pics from Brooklyn Rock Lottery 3, below.

Continue reading "members of My Morning Jacket, Yuck, Hospitality & more joined forces for Rock Lottery 3 (pics, streams)"

Please welcome the third annual Rock Lottery to Knitting Factory on December 1st:

The premise is simple, but effective. Twenty-five hand picked musicians meet at 10:00AM at the evenings performance venue. These volunteers are organized into five groups through a lottery-based chance selection. The five separate groups are then released to practice at different locations. The musicians have twelve hours to create a band name and three to five songs (with a one cover-song limit). The groups will then perform what they have created that evening in front of a waiting audience.

2012 lineup for Rock Lottery and video from previous events are below.

Continue reading "Members of My Morning Jacket, Against Me!, Hospitality and more participating in third-annual "Rock Lottery""

Roger Waters at Yankee Stadium, July 2012 (more by Greg Cristman)

Roger Waters has been added to the big "Love for Levon" tribute that goes down next week (10/3) at the Izod Center. The onetime Pink Floyd guitarist/vocalist joins the likes of Gregg Allman, John Mayer, My Morning Jacket, John Prine, Warren Hayes, Garth Hudson, Grace Potter and more in the all-star band that will celebrate the life and music of Levon Helm who lost his battle with cancer back in April. A full list of performers for "Love for Levon" is below.

Tickets are still available and please remember that the whole show is a benefit with net proceeds from the concert helping support "the lasting legacy of Levon Helm by helping his estate keep ownership of his home, barn and studio, and to continue The Midnight Ramble Sessions." We are, however, also giving a pair away. Details on how to enter are below.

Continue reading "Roger Waters & others added to all-star 'Love for Levon' tribute with My Morning Jacket & more (win tix)"

The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY opened a few weeks back and if you've been curious to check the new venue out -- complete with astral projections on it's planetarium-esque dome -- but have yet to pull the trigger on tickets, today might be the day. It's "Fee-Free Friday" at The Cap, meaning any tickets you purchase online today via Ticketfly are free of service charges.

Some upcoming shows you might be interested in include Tuesday's Dirty Projectors / Lavender Diamond show (9/25), Regina Spector on 10/3, Sleigh Bells and Araabmuzik on 10/5, Fiona Apple on 10/10, Yeasayer on 11/13, and My Morning Jacket's three-day run in December.

The Fee-Free Friday offer runs till midnight tonight.

My Morning Jacket at Williamsburg Park in August (more by David Andrako)

As mentioned, My Morning Jacket, who were in NYC for a show at Williamsburg Park, will return to the area at the end of the year for a three-night run at Port Chester's Capitol Theatre from December 27-29. The shows will be part of the band's Spontaneous Curation Series, where you can help pick what songs they play, and MMJ promise not to repeat songs on different nights. There will also be TBA guests at each night. Those shows were announced over a month ago and they just finally were given ticket links. Tickets for all three nights go on sale Friday (9/14) at noon.

Two days after that run ends, My Morning Jacket will play a New Year's Eve show at Boston's Agganis Arena (12/31) with Preservation Hall Jazz Band, who they've collaborated with in the past. This one won't be part of the curation series. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (9/14) at noon with a venue presale starting Thursday (9/13) at 10 AM.

As discussed, MMJ will also be in the NYC area for a Levon Helm tribute at the Izod Center on October 3 in East Rutherford, NJ with Ray LaMontagne, Mavis Staples, Lucinda Williams, Gregg Allman, Warren Haynes, Jorma Kaukonen, and more. Tickets for that show are still available.

All dates are listed below...

Continue reading "My Morning Jacket playing New Year's Eve in Boston after Capitol Theater shows (dates & ticket info)"

My Morning Jacket at Williamsburg Park - 8/19/12 (more by David Andrako)

A cavalcade of music talent is coming out to pay tribute to The Band's late, great Levon Helm (who lost his battle with cancer in April) at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, NJ on October 3. Performers include John Mayer, My Morning Jacket, Ray LaMontagne, Eric Church, Gregg Allman, Dierks Bentley, Marc Cohn, Patty Griffin, Warren Haynes, John Hiatt, Bruce Hornsby, Jorma Kaukonen, The Levon Helm Band, Robert Randolph, Mavis Staples, Joe Walsh, Lucinda Williams and "More Legendary Surprise Guests" to appear as well.

Tickets for the show go on sale Wednesday, August 29 at 11 AM, with a Citicard presale starting Friday, August 24 at 10 AM. There will also be a Live Nation presale on August 29 at 10 AM.

All net proceeds from the concert will help support "the lasting legacy of Levon Helm by helping his estate keep ownership of his home, barn and studio, and to continue The Midnight Ramble Sessions."

photos by David Andrako

My Morning Jacket at Williamsburg Park - 8/19/12

Psychedelic roots rockers My Morning Jacket and psychedelic rap crew Shabazz Palaces teamed up for a show at Williamsburg Park last night (8/19) as part of a tour that MMJ is on. Their set included material from most of their studio albums and for their encore, Jim James did a solo acoustic performance of "I Will Be There When You Die," and the band were joined by Dean Wareham (Galaxie 500, Luna) for a cover of George Harrison's "Isn't It A Pity." The encore also included a cover of Prince's "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man."

More pictures of both bands and the setlist and videos from My Morning Jacket's set are below.

Continue reading "My Morning Jacket & Shabazz Palaces played Williamsburg Park (pics, video, setlist)"