New York Dolls at Bowery Ballroom in March (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

After releasing their fifth LP earlier this year, New York Dolls celebrated with two nights at Bowery Ballroom before kicking off an extensive amount of international dates including the tour with Motley Crue and Poison that brought them to Nassau Coliseum, and most recently a short UK run with Alice Cooper. The Dolls are back home for the holidays and will round out 2011 with a hometown show on December 30 at Irving Plaza before playing New Year's Eve in Boston the next night. Tickets for the NYC show are on sale now.

UPDATE: THE NYC SHOW IS CANCELLED.

Last week, Bob Gruen and his wife Nadya Beck, who released the New York Dolls Documentary All Dolled Up in 2005, released a DVD of live clips and interviews filmed of the band in the 70s titled Lookin' Fine On Television. You can purchase the DVD on Amazon and check out a clip of the band performing "Lookin For a Kiss" off the DVD below.

All dates and video below...

Continue reading "NY Dolls subject of new DVD, playing end of year shows"

photos by Dana (DISTORTION) Yavin

"While most of the music-loving world has descended upon the indie music mecca of SXSW in Austin, Tx., some of us poor souls are stuck tooling around in boring ole New York. What's there to do in this city, anyway?

The answer to that was easy last night: see the New York Dolls. Even 38 years after their debut - which is still the most convincing argument that rock is best played loud, fast and in drag - the New York Dolls own the stage like they invented modern rock. Which isn't that far from the truth anyway." [Entertainment Weekly]

Continue reading "New York Dolls & Make Out played Bowery Ballroom (pics)"

As previously mentioned, New York Dolls are playing Bowery Ballroom tonight and tomorrow (3/16 and 3/17) with opener Make Out. Check Ticketmaster for tickets. Last night they signed copies of their new album Dancing Backward In High Heels at Best Buy in Union Square.

If you miss these shows, New York Dolls will be back on a slightly different tour at Nassau Coliseum on July 20th opening for Motley Crue and Poison. Tickets go on sale this Friday (3/18) at 11:00 AM EDT. Like the two Bowery Ballroom shows, the Nassau Coliseum show is presented by Bowery Presents who do shows their now too).

New York Dolls also just released a video for their new single "Fool For You Baby" off the new album. The video is directed by Jeremy Johnstone (Mono, Young Widows) and features NY Dolls members David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain. Watch that below...

Continue reading "NY Dolls kicking off 2 nights @ Bowery, made a video"

by BBG

New York Dolls have added another show at Bowery Ballroom on March 17th, the day after the band plays the previously announced show at the venue and two days after the band appears at Best Buy in Union Square to sign copies of their forthcoming LP Dancing Backward In High Heels. Tickets for the 3/16 show are still available, and tickets for the 3/17 date go on sale at noon today (3/2). Make Out opens both shows.

After the NYC dates and a stint overseas, New York Dolls will head out on a completely different tour, as support for (gulp) Motley Crue & Poison. The tour is scheduled to hit Nassau Coliseum on July 20th. The teacher is now the student, I guess.

All tour dates and some video below...

Continue reading "New York Dolls add 2nd Bowery Ballroom show, touring with... Motley Crue & Poison"

New York Dolls at Irving Plaza (more by Tim Griffin)

New York Dolls, now with ex-Blondie guitarist Frank Infante on board, have scheduled a free show UPDATE: We're told this is actually only going to be an autograph signing now.... at Best Buy in Union Square (not to be confused with "Best Buy Theater" in Times Square) on 3/15 at 6:30PM in support of their forthcoming LP due that day on 429 Records.

Be one of the first 300 people to buy their new album, Dancing Backward In High Heels, at Best Buy Union Square starting at 12:01 am on Tuesday, 3/15 and you will receive a wristband which guarantees admittance to the event. Arrive early. Space is limited.

The Dolls also recently announced UK , Spain and Japan shows. Bowery and Best Buy are is still their only current U.S. date. All dates are listed, with some videos, below...

Continue reading "NY Dolls are gonna be at Best Buy and other places (updated)"

"Yeah, that was me next to Andy Rourke at the NY Dolls show last nite..."-proBRUCEr

"Guy falls down on stage. Guy jumps on other guys shoulders. Guy crawls up curtain. Only at the New York Dolls." -tiffanynapper

photos by Lori Baily

New York Dolls played a show at Warsaw in Brooklyn on Saturday, May 22nd with openers Foxy Shazam and Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black. The ticketholders from the canceled Naughty by Nature show were invited to attend the NY Dolls gig, as were (reportedly) residents of the Ohm apartment building in Chelsea.

Coming up, frontman David Johansen has a show of his own at Highline Ballroom on June 27th (tickets). Batusis, Syl Sylvain's group with the Dead Boys' Cheetah Chrome, have a tour this July with a date at NY's Irving Plaza on July 23rd. Tickets are on sale, and that will be the New York debut of the band (they weren't on the Joey Ramone B-day show as previsouly reported). The Dolls also have a three shows (non-NYC) in June.

Those dates and more pictures from the show are below...

Continue reading "NY Dolls, Foxy Shazam & the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black played Warsaw - pics & Batusis tour dates"

"Naughty by Nature show got cancelled; promoter offered tickets to the New York Dolls instead. Yes?" - Colin Booth

Tonight's Naughty By Nature / Black Sheep show at Brooklyn Masonic Temple is cancelled. Saturday's NY Dolls show at Warsaw is not.

Voluptous Horror of Karen Black (w/ more clothes on than usual)

The lineup for the New York Dolls show at Warsaw in Brooklyn on Saturday, May 22nd has been filled out with opening acts performance-art/punk Voluptous Horror of Karen Black and party glam band Foxy Shazam. Tickets are still on sale. We have two pairs to give away as well. Details are below.

The Warsaw has a bunch of other shows coming up too. Details on those (and ticket links) and videos of both NY Dolls openers (including a brand new "What's In My Bag?" at Amoeba with Kembra Pfahler of Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black) are below...

Continue reading "Voluptous Horror of Karen Black added to NY Dolls show (win tix), Au Revoir Simone & other bands playing Warsaw too"

"We are going to miss him terribly" - David Johansen

Recording artist, manager of the Sex Pistols, provocateur, fashion designer, impresario -- Malcolm McLaren, who died of cancer April 8th at 64 was all those things. He was also, briefly, the manager of the New York Dolls just before their breakup in 1975. Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain spoke with Rolling Stone about his encounters with McLaren. "I always thought the most important member of the Sex Pistols was Malcolm McLaren," Sylvain says. "When they got back together in the '90s, I thought, 'They're missing their most important star, and that was Malcolm.' "

Rolling Stone: When did you first meet McLaren?

NY Doll Sylvain Sylvain: It was at a clothing trade show back in 1971 in New York City. I had a knitwear company, and he and Vivienne [Westwood] were down at the end of the hallway with their clothing line Let It Rock, which was basically rockabilly clothing. Malcolm had this long blond pompadour, long sideburns and white baggy pants. He was like Jerry Lee Lewis, really cool looking. On the last day of trade shows, designers sell their samples, so I said to David Johansen and Johnny Thunders, "You gotta come over." So we bought some things from Malcolm and Vivienne and invited them down to see us at the Mercer Arts Center. He fell in love with the New York Dolls, and we fell in love with them. Vivienne would tell us, "You boys look so much better in women's clothing."

About to kick off a tour in Europe, it has been announced that the New York Dolls will play Warsaw in Brooklyn on Saturday, May 22nd. Tickets are on sale for the joint Knitting Factory and Scenic production.

You can also catch David Johansen solo on June 27th at Highline Ballroom. All dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "New York Dolls remember Malcolm Mclaren, playing Warsaw in Brooklyn, touring Europe (dates) "

David Johansen w/ NY Dolls @ MHOW in June (more by Tim Griffin)

The New York Dolls will be playing an eight show UK tour in December, but before that, Dolls frontman David Johansen will bring the David Johansen Band to NYC's Highline Ballroom for a show on Saturday, November 28th. Tickets are on sale.

The NY Dolls went on a North American tour earlier this year to promote their Todd Rundgren-produced album Cause I Sez So. Recently, Johansen contributed harmonica to the new record from Steve Conte, NY Dolls' guitarist since their 2004 reunion. That album Steve Conte and the Crazy Truth (produced by Steve Lillywhite) came out out October 20th on the Varese Sarabande label.

Johnny Thunders died 18 years ago in New Orleans. The hotel room he shot up in before ODing is now a tourist attraction.

In other old-guy rock news, Iggy & the Stooges will be playing Raw Power in full at ATP NY in 2010.

Some choice videos (including David Johansen taking on music critics and the idea of old New York & CBGBs...) and all Dolls tour dates are below...

Continue reading "David Johansen Band playing a NYC show, Steve Conte released solo album, NY Dolls touring the UK "

photos by Tim Griffin

"The New York Dolls -- the two original dudes with the good fortune to still be alive, plus three sonically and sartorially like-minded newer recruits to replace those original members who were much less fortunate -- will take no offense if you prefer the thrillingly brash, iconic garage-punk version of "Trash" that appeared on their 1973 self-titled debut to the slowed-down, hammed-up ska remake that graces this spring's Cause I Sez So, their second reunion album, which vacillates between the thrilling garage-punk that made them famous and stranger, more disquieting flights of fancy like, say, doing a ska remake of one of their most famous songs. Tonight they mash both versions together into one unwieldy but energetic beast, our two survivors --cuddly guitarist Sylvain Sylvain and lithe, lascivious Lou Reed/Gumby hybrid frontman David Johansen -- prancing nonchalantly about, the guitars roaring quasi-melodically as usual, and this whole thing continues, against all odds and to their infinite credit, to not feel like a travesty."
[Rob Harvilla @ the Village Voice]

Miami New Times: How did you get on the New York Dolls tour? Did you have any contact with them before?

Black Joes Lewis: I don't know, I have no idea. My manager was like, Y'all wanna do this tour? I don't know if they requested us, or if it was some industry thing they pull with agents around the country. I think it'll go good because I'm a big fan of the 1970s punk rock stuff, like the Dead Boys, and the Stooges, Radio Birdman, that kind of shit. I love that music. A lot of my guitar playing is based loosely on those styles.

Continue reading "New York Dolls & Black Joe Lewis @ MHOW - pics, setlist"

Back in April we posted an interview with Jonah Matranga who is putting out a new Far album, and playing Mercury Lounge solo on May 21st (tickets). Since then he added a NJ show at Maxwell's. That happens to be TONIGHT (5/19). Tickets are still available.

Speaking of NJ shows, that Hold Steady show happening at Starland Ballroom is on sale. The band's NYC shows at Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg are sold out.

The June 22nd NY Dolls show at Music Halll of Williamsburg is not yet sold out, and now they too are playing a NJ show at Starland Ballroom. The June 20th date goes on sale Wednesday at noon.

Poison the Well is co-headlining every date on a "10 For $10 summer tour" - ten bands for $10. Bands will vary at each stop.

Freddy Cricien of Madball said, "This 10 for 10 tour concept is way overdue in my opinion. I'm glad and thankful, that the people involved, stepped up to actually make something like this happen! Our genre (Hardcore) in the states, is in a "strange" place right now. There is somewhat of a lack of appreciation for this "sub-culture". A lot of people want to say they know certain bands, or are affiliated with this underground scene,etc,etc... Because it gives them some credibility, it sounds cool! Well, this is everyone's chance to re-introduce themselves, and actually get involved with a very unique and authentic genre/movement. It's also a chance for all of us, the bands, to show our stuff as well!"

Tickets also recently went on sale for H2O, Sick of it All, Agnostic Front, and many other shows. All 10 for $10 dates below...

Continue reading "Jonah Matranga, Hold Steady, NY Dolls, Starland Ballroom, 10 for $10, VOD, Madball & other tickets"

NY Dolls @ John Varvatos Store - May 5th (more by Tim Griffin)

Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears are on the road until May 24th with Lucero who stay on the road into June when they hit the NYC-area for shows at Maxwell's and the Big Apple BBQ.

On June 2nd, Black Joe Lewis joins up with the New York Dolls for a tour, and though it looks like they may still have some dates to fill in, we do know that the two bands will share the bill at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn on June 22nd. Tickets go on AmEx presale on Wednesday at noon, and regular sale Friday.

All dates below...

Continue reading "NY Dolls & Black Joe Lewis - 2009 Tour Dates (MHOW)"

photos by Tim Griffin

""Oh, this is beautiful!" said singer David Johansen, who emerged before a wall-to-wall crowd in a snug black blazer and skin-tight jeans, with a silky leopard print scarf draped around his neck, and who, along with guitarist Syl Sylvain, is one of the band's two surviving original members. (Guitarist Johnny Thunders died a mysterious, drug-related death in 1991, and bassist Arthur "Killer" Kane passed away from leukemia just weeks after the British singer Morrissey reunited the Dolls for a concert in London in June 2004.)

"This is beyond my wildest dreams," the rail-thin Mr. Johansen continued a few songs later. "Did you hear that shit? That was good. Let's dance to this next one!"

To the disappointment of some in the audience, almost all the songs played during the roughly 45-minute set were new, save a half-blazing, half reggae-esque version of the iconic Dolls' anthem "Trash" during the encore. But the performance was, after all, a record release party for the band's new disc, 'Cause I Sez So, as well as the launch of Mr. Varvatos' new rock 'n' roll show on Sirius Radio, which was broadcast live. [The New York Observer]

Continue reading "NY Dolls @ the John Varvatos Store (ex-CBGB) in NYC - pics "

NY Dolls @ SXSW 2009 (by Stereocourier)

In support of their new album 'Cause I Sez So' produced by Todd Rundgren, New York Dolls return to US with Summer 2009 dates. MORE DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED IN THE NEXT WEEK! [NYDolls.com, April 15th]

NY Doll David Johansen is also appearing at Red Bank, NJ's Count Basie Theatre for its Friday, May 1st Writers in the Raw show. He'll share the stage that night with Rhett Miller (of Old 97's), Alec Ounsworth (of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah), and Ashton Shepherd for "an informal evening of songs and stories."

A video of the band at SXSW, new album tracklist, and all dates, below...

Continue reading "NY Dolls playing CBGB (Varvatos store) & other places"

Semi Precious Weapons & Rachael Ray @ Santos in NYC (Nicky Digital) (thx Krista)

As posted earlier today, Franz Nicolay & Major General will be opening for the Pogues at Roseland Ballroom on March 13th, but that is just one of many shows the Hold Steady's moustached member has coming up. Another one is tonight, March 5th...

3/5 FRANZ NICOLAY @ Small Beast Salon
Guest-hosting & curating.
THIS WEEK: 8:15-8:45 Franz Nicolay
8:55-9:25 Yoni Gordon
9:30-10:05 Serena Jost
10:15-11 Jennifer O'Connor
@ The Delancey - 168 Delancey, NYC

At SXSW, Franz is playing one solo/Major General show, and The Hold Steady are playing two. The first HS show is Friday March 20th at Mohawk. That's a public, official SXSW appearance. The second is the next day at Maggie May's for the Tom Jones-and-Semi-Precious Weapons-loving Rachael Ray. And they're not the only ones playing her party. As previously mentioned, The Airborne Toxic Event will be there, and so will New York Dolls, Ra Ra Riot and The Thermals. You can see the whole lineup and more details on the Dunkin Donuts spokesperson's website. The picture above was taken at Rachael's NYC show at Santos last week. See more like it at Nicky Digital's site.

NY Dolls also have an official SXSW show, and Sylvain Sylvain is sitting on a SXSW panel called "The Sound and the Fury". This all in addition to a new record coming out...

After working together on the New York Dolls' influential debut in 1973, the group reunited this winter with producer Todd Rundgren to record their fourth studio album, Cause I Sez So, set for a May 5 release on Atco Records.

Recorded at Utopia Sound Studio in Kauai, Hawaii, the album features 11 original compositions and a new version of "Trash," which was on their 1973 debut album. "It was amazing working with Todd again, and I think we were able to evoke the special sound of our first album and drag it by the hair into the present," says frontman Johansen.

Prior to the album's release, the New York Dolls-David Johansen (vocals); Sylvain Sylvain (guitar); Steve Conte (guitar); Brian Delaney (drums); and Sami Yaffa (bass)-will appear at the South By Southwest (SXSW) music conference and festival in Austin, TX. [as outlined above]

The NY Times went to RR's SXSW show last year. Video below...

Continue reading "Franz Nicolay, Rachael Ray, NY Dolls, Thermals, NYC, SXSW "

NY Dolls @ Irving Plaza, NYC - (CRED)

New York Dolls played the Fillmore @ Irving Plaza in NYC on December 28th & 29th.

Next up: David Johansen (who turns 58 on January 9th) is part of a group playing Jazz Standard in NYC on January 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th. And the Dolls just announced a bunch more tour dates for 2008. Those are below........

Continue reading "NY Dolls played 2 NYC shows, David J playing 4 +++++++++++ 2008 Tour Dates"

New York Dolls are playing the Fillmore Irving Plaza on December 28th & 29th. I think it's great that they're keeping it going, but I don't think I can (should/need to) see them anymore - I feel satisfied with the memories of the first few times.