Primus at Roseland (more by Kurt Christensen)

Primus recently announced a MHOW show happening on February 8. Tickets went on sale last week and are now sold out. They've since added another NYC show happening one day later at Gramercy Theatre (2/9). The show is a benefit for Les Claypool's nephew Matthew who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) and at 2 months old was admitted into the hospital. All proceeds from the show will go toward his medical bills. Tickets for this show go on sale at noon today (11/26).

If you are unable to get tickets to the show before it sells out, but would still like to donate in support of Matthew, you can do so at www.babymatthew.org.

Primus were also recently announced on the lineup of the 2012 Wakarusa Festival which goes down in Ozark, Arkansas from Mary 31-June 3. The jam band-heavy fest also will host sets by Girl Talk, Fitz & the Tantrums, Gary Clark Jr., Daedelus, Tinariwen, Blitzen Trapper and more. Full list below.

Our thoughts go out to Matthew and his family. Updated Primus dates, the Wakarusa lineup, and more about Matthew below...

Continue reading "Primus schedules another small NYC show for Matthew, playing Wakarusa Fest (initial lineup announced)"

Primus at Roseland (more by Kurt Christensen)

Ahoy there all,
I just wanted to thank everyone for the support my nephew Mathew has received over the last year. It has been amazing how many folks have put forth the effort to help my brother and his family. Unfortunately, just at a time when he's learning to walk, little Matthew has had a major relapse and is back at Stanford Medical Center for treatment. To see what this little guy has gone through these last twelve months has been heart wrenching and to think he has to go through it again is just beyond comprehension.
Matthew will undergo an intense round of chemotherapy this month in the hope of getting his blood levels back to a status where he can receive a bone marrow transplant. As far as a donor, we have decent options within the family but there could potentially be a better match out there somewhere. If anyone is inclined, check out: www.marrow.org for information on how to see if they are good match for Little Matthew or others in the same terrible situation. It is a simple procedure to test and the program has saved a lot of lives.

Thanks again for the support,
Les Claypool

Here's to hoping for some good news for Little Matthew and the Primus frontman soon. Head to the link above for more details or if you can help.

In the meantime, Primus will try and move toward a sense of normalcy with a string of European dates what will take place after a smaller-than-usual-show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on 2/8. Tickets for the Brooklyn show go on AMEX presale on 1/11 at noon and regular sale on Friday.

Primus are also scheduled to play Summer Camp Music Festival (not to be confused with Summer Camp the band who just announed some shows) in Chillicothe, IL from May-25th-27th. The three day festival will feature a bevy of jammy all-stars (moe., Umphrey's Mcgee, etc) as well as an appearance from Gogol Bordello who recently played NYC twice: Dec 30th and Dec 31st. Primus played their own pair of New Year's Eve shows in San Francisco.

All tour dates and some song streams are below.

Continue reading "Primus schedule initmate Brooklyn show, asking for more help for Les's nephew Mathew"

photos by Kurt Christensen

Primus brought their current tour to Roseland Ballroom in NYC on Friday night (9/30). The band is playing two sets each night (and an encore). The 2nd set is their new album Green Naugahyde in full. The full NYC setlist (2 song encore included), and more pictures from the show, below...

Continue reading "Primus played Roseland Ballroom (pics & setlist)"

Primus at Bonnaroo (more by Dana (Distortion) Yavin)

Primus will hit the road in celebration of Green Naugahyde, not the leather alternative, but the band's new LP which is due on 9/13. Each night of their coast to coast trek will feature a pair of sets by the playful/dark bass-heavy trio.

Last year their NYC show was at the Williamsburg Waterfront.Their stop in NYC this year, on 9/30, is back at Roseland Ballroom where they've played at least twice before in the past ten years. Tickets recently went back on presale for NYC and all dates, with a presale code of "hennepin". Tickets for NYC go on regular sale at 10AM on Saturday (7/23).

The new LP features bassist/madman Les Claypool and long-time collaborator Larry LaLonde, with drummer Jay Lane who was in an earlier incarnation of Primus (and later the Primus side-project Sausage). You can preorder that LP in various incarnations (CD/LP/shirt/skatedeck) now.

All tour dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "Primus announce new album & tour (dates on presale now)"

photos by Dana (Distortion) Yavin & Graeme Flegenheimer

Primus

Arcade Fire

Two New York men who got arrested here Friday never made it to Bonnaroo. That's because law officers allegedly found they were carrying over a pound of cocaine, 1,000 ecstasy pills, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.

Alberto R. Almonte, 40, and Joseph Cruz, 29, both of the Bronx, N.Y., are charged with possession of drugs for sale and possession of drug paraphernalia. Almonte is also charged with speeding.

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, it was around 2 p.m. Friday when Trooper Matilda Mahaney clocked a 2006 Chevrolet Impala doing 83 in a 55 mile-per-hour zone on Highway 111 in Putnam County.

The trooper stopped the car "and discovered that the two occupants were enroute to Bonnaroo in Manchester," says a news release from the THP. [Herald Citizen]

Bonnaroo happened this weekend. Pictures of Karen Elson from Day One are HERE, with the rest of Day one HERE. Pictures of Decemberists from Day Two HERE. Days 3 & 4 & stuff coming soon. The rest of Day Two below....

Continue reading "Bonnaroo 2011 -- Day 2 in pics (Arcade Fire, My Morning Jacket, NOFX, Grace Potter, Lil Wayne, Primus & more)"

Bonnaroo (June 9-12 in Manchester Tennessee) has announced the 2011 lineup (slightly early), and like the rumored Lollapalooza lineup, Eminem is among the headliners. Bonnaroo also has Grammy winners Arcade Fire and the Black Keys, in addition to Lil Wayne, Mumford & Sons, the Strokes, The Decemberists, Florence & the Machine, Girl Talk, Beirut (haven't seen them in a while), and many more. Full list below...

Continue reading "Bonnaroo 2011 lineup is here"

photos by Marcus Lauer

Mucca Pazza, going nutza @ Knitting Factory

Mucca Pazza, the opening act [at Lincoln Center], was entertaining in a novelty way: competent, fun, funny and fully entertaining. Their geeky routine consisted of knowledgeably eclectic musicians wearing high-school band uniforms, playing music and jumping about the stage accompanied by four cheerleaders. If a category had to be assigned them, perhaps it would be Om-Pa-Pa-Klezmer. [Queer New York]

Big Band bombast from Chicago's Mucca Pazza was in effect at Knitting Factory on August 6th , as the band headlined the space with an assist from from LES's Stumblebum Brass Band, and Starring. Belated pictures and video from that show are below.

If you missed the brassy madness, Mucca Pazza (who also played Lincoln Center Out of Doors while they were here) will do small strings of dates in September and October, eventually landing at Wellmont on 10/9 where they will support Primus. Meanwhile, Stumblebum Brass band are scheduled to play NYC TONIGHT as part of "The Underclass Revue" with Brownbird Rudy Relic, Orb Mellon, and Low Society at Bowery Electric. The gig is one of three upcoming gigs for the local band. They will also play Sept 11th at Rockwood Music Hall and Oct 6th at Otto's Shrunken Head.

More pictures from Knitting Factory below...

Continue reading "Mucca Pazza, Stumblebum Brass Band & Starring played Knitting Factory (pics), playing more shows (dates) "

photos by Brian Reilly

Friday night @ the Williamsburg Waterfront...

"YEAH ...the Bedford Ave L-Train STOP was ALL retro from back in Wood-Stock Days....selling so Much JUNK crowding the Walk-ways & Bicycles & MORE Bicycles everywhere U Turn....On Every Meter on Every Sidewalk!!!
And Cops Walking around Giving Out TICKETS for drinking.....
and SCALPERS selling already Scanned Seats!!! The Nerve!! like $45 -$60
So i got there about 7:40PM and analyzed the GATE & the Scanners & found the Weak-Link and Just WALKED Right Thru w/NO TICKET!!
I've Been doing that for MANY Concerts!
You need Finesse & Confidence & PERFECT Timing!!
Hopped over concrete WALL to my Right & was on SIDE of Stage as GOGOL BORDELLO was thanking everybody.....Went BACK to entrance Of Stage from the BACK and saw Members of His Band Exit Stage Left!
and I ENTERED the Back-Stage and was gonna sit by the Speakers but then i thought why not get a spot in the Front-row......
The SMELL of WEED & too Many REAL Young looking Slackers & Preppies !!!
I was trying to get a Breeze & by the 4th song (DAMN TWEEKERS) the PIT Exploded into MAJOR Slamming!! Lots of Sweat & people PUSHING thru to the Front!
GASPING for Fresh Air & Some God-Damn SPACE i realized by Song's End i wound up BACK in the 60th Row!!!
Every-Time I reached to LEAN on Somebody their Shirt Was DRIPPING Sweat & Naked Guys ALL Smelly!!
I should Have STAYED Back-Stage by the Speakers Some-Where!
LES really commented about the Back of Venue & the Sky-Line.
AT one Point they Had Bluesy Guitars & i thought it was DAZED & CONFUSED!
REAL upset about the SHORT Encore......TOO MANY PUPPIES~~~~~~~~
Did get FREE PiZZA & Watermelon Juice & CORN on COB & Ice-Cream when the Vendors were shutting Down at about 10:15PM.
I want to see RHCP & Soundgarden at Chicago Lollapalooza next!
Are U coming w/me ?
NOTE: Radio City Music Hall & FRIZZLE FRY Entire Album was Last time I saw PRIMUS!!" [Anonymous]

As we just pointed out (and what I think the above quoted comment was trying to say), Primus played Williamsburg Waterfront on Friday. If you missed it, you may have done so on purpose. If not, or if you loved it, you're probably happy to find out that they're coming back to suck some more. Tickets are now on PRESALE for a 10/09 show at Montclair, NJ's Wellmont Theatre (general sale starts Friday), and 10/10 @ Boston, MA's Orpheum Theatre.

Speaking of Wellmont Theatre, Bowery Presents has issued the following official statement about Wednesday night's postponed Interpol show...

The Wellmont Theater will be closed to repair portions of the plaster ceiling finishes. The owners and leaseholders of the Wellmont are working closely with the Montclair building department and an independent contractor, following an incident last week when it was discovered that repairs were necessary to ensure patron safety. As a result, the Interpol concert scheduled for Wednesday, August 4 has been postponed. The Wellmont looks forward to upcoming shows with Lyle Lovett, Counting Crows, Tears for Fears and many others. For information and updates on concerts, please check the website at www.wellmonttheatre.com.

All Primus dates, and a 2nd set of pictures from the Primus/Gogol show at Williamsburg Waterfront show, below...

Continue reading "Primus played Brooklyn, add NJ show (Interpol still postponed) -- more pics, dates, presale & stuff"

words and photos by Benjamin Lozovsky

Les Claypool

Primus triumphantly reunited for their first new tour in four years with gypsy punks Gogol Bordello, whipping the crowd into a mindless frenzy at the Williamsburg Waterfront Friday night (7/30). While its not surprising that one of the most irreverent and technically proficient groups of the "alternative" era were so powerful after such a long break from recording, what was intriguing was their ability to engage the crowd so thoroughly.

A lot has happened in 26 years of Primus's existence. Drummer Jay Lane left the band early and took a prolonged stay in patchouli country, playing with Bob Weir and Ratdog followed by Further. Leader Les Claypool dabbled a bit in that direction on his solo material, but always with an eye for innovative funk, avant-garde jazz, and futurism with a focus on his singular bass technique. Guitarist Larry LaLonde did session and touring work with artists like Tom Waits and Serj Tankian of System Of A Down.

So coming into this show, it was evident that the wide range of recent musical endeavors held by the three members would play interestingly under the guise of Primus. The end result was still a rock show tour de force, even if moments felt less Primus at full steam ahead and more like the confluence of these musical minds reinterpreting their previous work. The drums were looser on some numbers, like on the rollicking "Over The Falls." LaLonde's guitar was abrasive yet increasingly more blues-tinged and raggedy. It was Primus stretched out and muted, yet still brimming with aggression and plenty of warped imagery.

That said, Primus still proved capable of inciting furor on early classics like "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver," "Harold of the Rocks," and "Tommy the Cat", and it was a relief to see that Primus indeed still "sucks."

Nas & Damian Marley played the same venue one night later. Primus's setlist with more pictures and some video from the Friday night show, below...

Continue reading "Primus & Gogol Bordello played Williamsburg Waterfront (pics, review, video, setlist)"

tonight in NYC
* Seu Jorge @ Terminal 5
* Darius Jones @ Roulette
* Year of the Tiger @ Spike Hill
* Total Praise @ Rochdale Park
* Spiritualized @ Radio City Music Hall
* Mike Doughty, Dave Calamoneri @ Maxwell's
* John Zorn improv benefit night @ The Stone
* Audio Tutu @ Lincoln Center Broadway Plaza
* Penguin Prison, Boy Crisis, Liptease @ Coco 66
* Primus, Gogol Bordello @ Williamsburg Waterfront
* Ghost Stepper, Sonic Spank (late) @ Mercury Lounge
* Avi Buffalo, Chad Van Gaalen @ South Street Seaport
* Frazey Ford (of Be Good Tanyas) @ (le) Poisson Rouge
* Lee Ranaldo + Leah Singer, Nick Zinner @ Whitney Museum
* Rooftop Films w/ The Big Sleep @ Automotive High School
* Micah Silver, Backbreakerneckbrace @ Issue Project Room
* The Gories, The Revelons, Chicken Snake @ Bowery Ballroom
* CFCF, Lovefingers, Jacques Renault (late) @ Cameo Gallery
* Midnight Magic, Home Video, Nomi Ruiz (DJ) @ Brooklyn Bowl
* The Swell Season, The Low Anthem @ Prospect Park Bandshell
* The Pietasters @ Rocks Off Concert Cruise on The Temptress
* Swimsuit, Pet Milk, People Get Ready, Bad Indians @ Death By Audio
* Lords of Acid, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult @ Gramercy Theatre
* Deitch, Hall, Lockhart & Loftin, Turkuaz, Mamarazzi @ Knitting Factory
* Julian Lynch, Ducktails, Campfires, Big Trouble, La Big Vic @ Glasslands
* Cognitive Dissonance, Dodworth, The Credentials, New Creases @ The Acheron
* Black Cobra, Howl, Struck By Lightning, East of The Wall @ Studio at Webster Hall
* the Penelopes, Cowboy & Indian, Internal Devices, Pretty Good Dance Moves @Pianos
* Creative Outlet Dance Theater, Kyle Abraham, Abraham.in.Motion @ Jackie Robinson Park
* Streetlight Manifesto, Crime In Stereo, The Wonder Years, Dan Potthast @ Highline Ballroom
* The Avengers, Channel 3, Visqueen, Springhouse, Libertines US, Flower, EDP @ The Bell House (The Big Takeover Festival)
* Nicholas Leichter Dance & Monstah Black: "THE WHIZ: Over the Rainbow," Nona Hendryx @ Damrosch Park Bandshell
* Appalachian Voices w/ Jim James, Ben Sollee, Daniel Martin Moore, Preservation Hall Jazz Band @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

For bigger shows, tonight is full of conflicts.

Spiritualized are performing Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space live in its entirety with orchestra and choir. The show is the final SPIN/ZYNC thing this week and will be streaming online. Tickets are still on sale.

Seu Jorge headlines Terminal 5 tonight now that SPIN has vacated and moved to Radio City.

The Swell Season have headlined Radio City Music Hall twice. Tonight they play a free show in Prospect Park with the Low Anthem.

Big weekend for Prospect Park. Sonic Youth play the free show on Saturday.

Chad VanGaalen should probably be headlining the free show at South Street Seaport today, but Avi Buffalo is.

Catch Jim James in an intimate setting, tonight at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

The Big Takeover Fest kicks off.

Primus returns.

The Gories return too.

Read more in This Week in Indie.

Julian Lynch headlines a bill at Glasslands tonight, one of a few NYC shows he has coming up, and his second (that we know about) since Mare came out in June.

Swimsuit, a band whose lineup features Fred Thomas of City Center and Saturday Looks Good To Me), joins Pet Milk, People Get Ready and Bad Indians to play Death By Audio tonight.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday?"

Gogol Bordello @ Brooklyn Bowl in April (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

Tickets for the Primus/Gogol Bordello show at Williamsburg Waterfront are now on Internet presale (password = CHEESE).

That concert happens on July 30th. The next night Primus rocks out at Bridgeport, CT's Gathering of the Vibes, where they'll headline with Jimmy Cliff, Damian Marley and Nas, and Sharon Jones. Tickets are on sale. The full lineup is here.

While Primus are gathering the vibes, Gogol Bordello will play Starland Ballroom in Sayerville, NJ on July 31st. Tickets for that are on sale Friday at noon.

Videos of last year's Gathering (music, hula hoops, "nitrous mafia," "Crazy Guy" and more) are below...

Continue reading "Gogol Bordello playing Starland, Primus playing Gathering of the Vibes (Williamsburg Waterfront on presale now)"

by BBG

Primus

As the mustachioed one (Eugene Hutz) announced last week at Brooklyn Bowl, Gogol Bordello will hit the road for a string of dates with the great Primus, tagging Williamsburg Waterfront on 7/30 along the way. Tickets for the Brooklyn show go on sale Friday at noon with an AEG/Radio/venue presale kicking off at 10AM a day earlier.

The Waterfront show is less than two months after Primus bassist Les Claypool plays his own show at Brooklyn Bowl with Hot Head Show. Tickets are still available for the June 8th show, and the Wellmont Theater show three days before that.

Gogol Bordello's new album Trans-Continental Hustle is out NOW. Primus, Gogol Bordello and Les Claypool dates are below...

Continue reading "Primus & Gogol Bordello tour dates (Williamsburg Waterfront)"

photos by Zach Dilgard

Aquarian: What have you planned for the New York show?

Les Claypool: We're going to fill it full of freaks. I guarantee it's going to be a memorable event. Whether you love or hate the music or the performers or whatever, it's going to be a very memorable event. [At] the bigger shows on the weekend, we've brought in all these extra characters, and I believe for the New York show, we're bringing in the Coney Island sideshow performers, so beyond what's already going to be on stage there's going to be plenty of things for the short attention span generation that is out there.

That's what Les Claypool said about his plans for the Terminal 5 show on Saturday, March 28th. As you can see above, he wasn't lying. The show, with openers Saul Williams, O'Death, and Secret Chiefs 3 (who are headed by ex-Mr Bungle/Faith No More guitarist and composer Trey Spruance), was the last of the "Oddity Faire" tour.

The tour coincided with the release of the Primus bassist's latest solo record, Of Fungi And Foe CD, out now on his own Prawn Song Records label.

More pictures from the show, including one of the conclusion of the sword swallowing act, below...

Continue reading "Les Claypool's Oddity Faire tour (Secret Chiefs 3, Saul Williams & freaks) @ Terminal 5 - pics"

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"

Rodrigo y Gabriela @ Sasquatch 2008 (more by Chris Graham)

"The multi-faceted, three-day festival will take place in San Francisco's historic Golden Gate Park on August 22 - 24, 2008. Radiohead, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Jack Johnson will headline the event. Tickets for the Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival are available for purchase at www.SFOutsidelands.com."

Beck, Manu Chao, Sharon Jones, Nellie McKay, and Rodrigo y Gabriela are a few of the other artists playing. All of them below....

Continue reading "Outside Lands Music Festival lineup - now w/ more artists"