photos by Amanda Hatfield words by Zach Pollack

DOWNLOAD: My Brightest Diamond - "Reaching Through to the Other Side" (Feat. yMusic) (MP3)

Classical, pop-tinged orchestral group yMusic kicked off the second to last concert of the summer season at Castle Clinton in Battery Park as part of the River to River Festival last night (7/7). The six-players rotated on a variety of instruments including trumpet, viola, clarinet, and violin, possibly improvising as they took cues off of each other.

yMusic stuck around to back My Brightest Diamond (aka Shara Worden) as she took the stage around 7:30PM. Initially seeming shy and reserved, those notions of her were immediately shattered as she opened her mouth to sing. With a large vocal range in her arsenal, Shara's voice is as much of an instrument as the ones the orchestra behind her were using.

Breaking out a harpsichord, Shara and yMusic, backed by drummer Brian Wolfe, played a sonically expansive new track titled, "Escape Routes" off MBD's new chamber pop album LP All Things Will Unwind. The LP will arrive on October 18th via her longtime label Asthmatic Kitty, and they played in its entirety at the NYC show according to a note on Shara's website (though not in the album order). This will mark Shara's third LP under the moniker, and from the taste of what we received at Castle Clinton, it draws strong comparisons to Edith Piaf, Joanna Newsom and label-mate/collaborator Sufjan Stevens. Grab a taste via the MP3 from the album above. Check out the whole tracklist and cover art below.

Between performing cuts off of her new album, Shara donned a creepy mask while yMusic performed instrumental pieces that Shara composed for them and dancer Jessica Dessner who was there dancing to them. Late in her hour-long set Shara performed the track "High Low Middle" which had a New Orleans-feel to it, and had the entire audience engaged in endless hand claps. The group closed out their amazing performance at Castle Clinton by playing new song "Everything Is In Line".

My Brightest Diamond has sporadic dates throughout the summer, including an opening slot for Sufjan Stevens at his first of two nights at the Prospect Park Bandshell (August 2nd & 3rd).

Sufjan also has a new video for "Get Real Get Right." Check that out, along with more pictures from the My Brightest Diamond show, and her album artwork below...

Continue reading "My Brightest Diamond & yMusic played their new album @ Castle Clinton (pics, new MP3 & a Sufjan video too)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger

South Street Seaport kicked off their season of free River to River shows on Friday night (6/26) with a headlining set by Sean Lennon's band The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger.Blood Orange aka Dev Hynes of Lightspeed Champion opened the show. Pictures from the show are in this post.

The next Seaport show was Sunday afternoon when My Teenage Stride played a set at the Fulton Market as part of the Sound Bites Sunday series of shows that continues on July 3rd with The Hairs. The next free Friday show is this Friday, July 1st with Lower Dens and Dirty Beaches. The full list of Seaport shows (not counting the Beekman Beer Garden ones), and more pictures and videos from Friday, below...

Continue reading "The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (Sean Lennon & Charlotte Kemp Muhl) played the Seaport w/ Blood Orange (pics, video)"

words & photos by Andrew Frisicano

"13 consecutive hours of experimental and avant-garde noodling" - NY Times on the Bang on a Can Marathon as quoted by Glenn Branca

The 2011 Bang on a Can Marathon went down on Sunday, June 19th, at the World Financial Center in NYC. As usual, a healthy contingent stayed for the duration (not me, I made it from around 5pm to the end). But even in just those last few hours there were some incredible performances. I caught Bang on a Can All-Stars playing with Philip Glass (who also opened with a solo performance of his "Metamorphosis IV"), a lively set from Sun Ra Arkestra, a show-stealing piece by Evan Ziporyn for himself and three other clarinetists, and a closing, full-on rock set by Glenn Branca Ensemble, who played from his album The Ascension: The Sequel.

Before that, Signal performed a droning, dramatic piece by BoaC cofounder Julia Wolfe, and Talea Ensemble and soprano Tony Arnold lead the NY premiere "An Index of Metals" by Fausto Romitelli, which tapped a laptop for atmospherics that bounced around the room's different speakers. Asphalt Orchestra similarly made good use of the Winter Garden space, marching around various quadrants of the room (and starting off the day with an outdoor performance). As you'll see in the pictures below, the Sun Ra Arkestra also made their way around the room, leaving the stage in a procession to the back.

As with past years, the Winter Garden was an adequate but not ideal venue. The sound could vary dramatically in different corners of the massive room, from bone dry in front of the stage to an echoey wash-out in the wings and the back (most noticeable when a speaker takes the mic, and is unintelligible from various vantage points). At the same time, the open space encourages the concert's free-flowing, low-pressure atmosphere, which is a huge part of its recurring appeal.

More pictures from the day, and a couple of videos, below...

Continue reading "2011 Bang on a Can Marathon (pics, video & review)"

photos Ryan Muir

Unlike the other two NYC shows they played while in town (including the late one Thursday night at Mercury Lounge), Ivan & Alyosha's lunchtime free show at One New York Plaza in Manhattan on Tuesday was acoustic. A set of pictures from that show continues below...

Continue reading "Ivan & Alyosha played One New York Plaza after noon (pics)"

The Bottom Line presents New York on my Mind tonight (6/22) at World Financial Center Winter Garden. The free River to River show was originally scheduled to take place in Rockefeller Park but has been moved due to weather. Performers include Rosanne Cash, Marshall Crenshaw, The GrooveBarbers, Garland Jeffreys, Willie Nile, Martin Rivas, Suzzy and Lucy Wainwright Roche, Catherine Russell, Vin Scelsa, Loudon Wainwright III, Dar Williams and many more.

Note that Tift Merritt's 7pm Madison Square Park show was also moved to the "rain location on the southern end of the park."

Other upcoming events at Rockefeller Park (weather permitting) include R&B singer Chrisette Michele on June 29, Poets House Annual Celebration with a lineup of poets (TBA) and musical guests Jose James and Bobbi Humphrey on July 6, and A Celebration for Jonathan Schwartz featuring a collection of singers paying tribute to Schwartz on July 13.

Ivan & Alyosha @ Living Room in April (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

Ivan & Alyosha are on tour and back in NYC, though there's been a change to their schedule. They are NOT playing two shows in one day as previously reported. They are playing a 12:30pm acoustic show at One New York Plaza at 12:30pm on Tuesday, June 21st, and they are playing a 5:30pm electric show at the World Financial Center on Thursday, June 23rd. Both shows are free and part of the River to River Festival.

On the 22nd the band plays Boston but not before appearing on WNYC Soundcheck at 2 pm EST. All live dates below...

Continue reading "Ivan & Alyosha are back, 2 free shows -- updated tour dates"

Asphalt Orchestra at Lincoln Center (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

The Bang on a Can Marathon returns on Sunday (6/19) with a mammoth thirteen hours of FREE live music kicking off at 11AM at NYC's World Financial Center Winter Garden (200 Vesey Street). Featuring over 150 musicians/composers, the fest includes performances from, and compositions by, names like Philip Glass, Glenn Branca Ensemble, Sun Ra Arkestra, David Byrne/Annie Clark, Bryce Dessner, Frank Zappa, Bjork, Yoko Ono, and many more. The full lineup and schedule is below.

Continue reading "Bang On a Can Marathon Sunday -- full schedule"

House of Rufus will be released on July 18 and contain 19 discs including 6 studio albums, 2 concerts on CD, 4 discs of rarities/demos/collaborations/etc, and 6 DVDs. "All of this will be housed in a beautiful red velvet encased, 90-page hardback book containing rare and unseen photos, Rufus' early hand-drawn tour posters, handwritten lyrics, four art prints and other memorabilia, extensive sleeve notes featuring interviews with Neil Tennant, Martha Wainwright, Linda Thompson and Lenny Waronker and an introduction by Rufus." The set is up for pre-order now, and more details can be found on Rufus's site.

Much more imminent are the two Kate McGarrigle tribute shows happening at NYC's Town Hall in May. Check Ticketmaster for tickets to those.

No tickets needed for this one though:

Tuesday June 28, 2011
New York City Opera - Rufus Wainwright Goes To the Opera!
Presented by Arts World Financial Center

Join New York City Opera singers, pianist Kevin Murphy, and the great singer/songwriter and opera composer, Rufus Wainwright, who hosts a performance featuring excerpts from his opera Prima Donna (which receives its New York premiere at New York City Opera in Spring 2012) and a selection of his favorite arias. Wainwright will also perform excerpts from a selection of songs inspired by his love of opera.
7pm. World Financial Center Winter Garden, 220 Vesey Street.

Rufus debuted a new song in March at a benefit called the Hope North Ping Pong Ball. Watch a video of that below...

Continue reading "Rufus Wainwright performing opera excerpts @ World Financial Center, releasing 'House of Rufus' box set"

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

Ivan and Alyosha & NYC's Living Room

Seattle's Ivan & Alyosha played a pair of NYC dates in March: 3/3 at Bowery Ballroom supporting Bobby Long and 3/4 at the Living Room (where these pictures come from). Since then they visited SXSW, and hopped on tour with John Vanderslice. That tour ends in Seattle on 4/21. In June they'll return to NYC to play two free shows in one day at NYC's World Financial Center. That's listed like this:

Ivan & Alyosha
Presented by Arts World Financial Center and Arts Brookield

Seattle's Ivan & Alyosha are not nihilist indie rockers, but a new brand of tender dreamers. They navigate the music world contemplating their path as a band, and, despite the uncertainty, Ivan & Alyosha's soulful folk tunes suggest a band inspired, hopeful, and longing, unafraid to probe their collective faith and doubts. Acoustic, 12:30pm. One New York Plaza. Also full band, 5:30pm. June 23 World Financial Center Plaza, 220 Vesey Street.

All tour dates and more pictures from the Living Room are below....

Continue reading "Ivan & Alyosha played the Living Room (belated pics), playing 2 free NYC shows (and other dates)"

Asphalt Orchestra outside Lincoln Center in 2010 (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

Sunday June 19
Bang on a Can Marathon
Presented by Bang on A Can and Arts World Financial Center

Bang on a Can returns with its incomparable 12-hour super-mix of genre-defying music featuring over 150 astounding musicians and composers from throughout the world. Highlights include Philip Glass performing live with the Bang on a Can All-Stars; music by Bryce Dessner of The National; sonic downtown legend Glenn Branca; the outerplanetary Sun Ra Arkestra; the Asphalt Orchestra playing music by David Byrne/Annie Clark, Yoko Ono, and Frank Zappa; the intrepid Signal in a blistering string orchestra work by Julia Wolfe plus New York premieres by Richard Ayers, Fausto Romitelli, Poul Ruders, Toby Twining and much more! 12pm-12am. World Financial Center Winter Garden, 220 Vesey Street.

Meanwhile catch Bang on a Can performing Steve Reich at Carnegie Hall on April 30th.

In July Bang on a Can head to MASS MoCA for 20 days. Details below...

Continue reading "Bang on a Can Marathon initial 2011 lineup announced, Summer Festival at MASS MoCA too "

St. Vincent @ Castle Clinton in 2008 (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

Like at South Street Seaport, the River to River Fesival hosts free shows at Castle Clinton National Monument in Battery Park each year, and though more may still be announed, here is their initial 2011 lineup:

June 23: Vijay Iyer
June 30: Laurie Anderson with Bill Laswell
July 07: My Brightest Diamond with yMusic
July 14: Patti Smith

fireworks @ the Seaport in 2010 (more by Chris La Putt)

INITIAL SOUTH STREET SEAPORT CONCERT LINEUP
June 24: The Ghost of a Sabre Tooth Tiger (Sean Lennon) + TBA
June 26: My Teenage Stride (Sunday)
July 01: Lower Dens & Dirty Beaches
July 03: The Hairs (Sunday)
July 08: The Wake & Weekend
July 10: Pow Wow! (Sunday)
July 15: The Radio Dept. & Asobi Seksu
July 16: 4Knots Music Festival (Saturday)

All Friday shows start at 7pm. Sunday shows, which are the return of our own Bill Pearis' Sound Bites series (but now on Sundays instead of at lunch), begin at 2pm. Both are part of the annual River To River Festival at The Seaport.

More free Seaport dates, shows and bands TBA, including maybe a Mad Decent Block Party.

by Andrew Frisicano

Burkina Electric

The annual Bang on a Can Marathon took over the World Financial Center Winter Garden Sunday, June 27th for 13 hours (one over the expected 12).

As evidenced in the pictures below, I only caught the last quarter or so of the night (it the was the same day as Gil Scott-Heron in Central Park). The day was packed with curiosity-provoking sets, like the US premiere of Fausto Romitelli's "Professor Bad Trip," performed by the Talea Ensemble...

Broken into three "lessons," the dense piece vividly communicated a kind of doomed atmosphere, beginning with sighing, deflating sounds pouring out of the winds and violins and pitched percussion nervously skittering, and later growing into thunderous sound from the full chamber orchestra. The highlight came in the second section, with a pained, growling cello solo played with impressive control by Chris Gross.

While Romitelli had his share of devotees, there was a clear sense of relief with the contrast Buke and Gass offered next. Playing their namesake baritone ukelele (buke) and guitar-bass hybrid (it's pronounced "gase"), and a drum with tambourines embedded, their emphatic, quirky brand of rock, enhanced by buke player Arone Dyer's pure folk-singer voice, was exactly what the crowd needed.
[NJ Star Ledger]

A focus toward the end seemed to be video projections, which accompanied the double bass loops of Florent Ghys, guitarist Tim Brady's wall of sound, and the night's final performance by Signal, Shelter, a piece composed by Bang on a Can heads Michael Gordon, David Lang and Julia Wolfe. Burkina Electric provided a late-evening burst of energy with West African dance music (they play Celebrate Brooklyn on July 8th and Central Park on July 25th).

Q2 will be broadcasting music from this year's Marathon in August (as will WNYC's New Sounds), so look out for that.

More pictures are below...

Continue reading "2010 Bang on a Can Marathon in pics (Burkina Electric, who play Summerstage & Celebrate Brooklyn, included)"

by Andrew Frisicano

Bang on a Can 2009 (photo by Stephanie Berger)

The schedule is up for this year's Bang on a Can Marathon, the free day-long affair hosted at the World Financial Center Winter Garden. This year's 12-hour show takes place on Sunday, June 27th from noon to midnight. It starts with a performance by John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble and closes with sets by Burkina Electric (who also play SummerStage), and new music ensemble Signal doing a piece by BoaC cofounders Michael Gordon, David Lang and Julia Wolfe. The entire thing is posted below. There's also a Youtube playlist of this year's artists to get yourself acquainted.

The Marathon will be recorded for an episode of WNYC's New Sounds in August, but before that the station will be broadcasting and streaming (on Q2) parts of BoaC marathons past (possibly including 2007's 27-hour fest, 2008's 4am Dan Deacon set or parts of last year's thoroughly enjoyable show).

The full schedule and details on the radio programming are below...

Continue reading "Bang on a Can Marathon - 2010 schedule (Buke & Gass, Moritz Eggert, Burkina Electric, Tim Brady, Signal & more)"

Neon Indian @ MWTX in Austin (more by Bryan Bruchman)

Neon Indian will be playing with Avi Buffalo at their free South Street Seaport show, as part of the summer series there, on July 30th. The almost-full schedule of free Seaport Music shows will be announced soon, but it already also includes Best Coast, Thee Oh Sees, Bear in Heaven, YACHT, Zola Jesus and others.

UPDATE: Though announced in a set of Avi Buffalo tour dates, I was informed that Neon Indian is NOT playing South Street Seaport (I guess he was supposed to... but probably took a different summer show... stay tuned for who is playing and where Neon Indian is playing instead. sorry.)

UPDATE 2: Chad VanGaalen is playing with Avi Buffalo at the Seaport on July 30th.

Before then, Neon Indian opens one of Massive Attack's Terminal 5 shows, and has their own show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on June 17th. Tickets are still on sale for the MHOW show (and for Terminal 5 too).

More tour dates for both are below...

Continue reading "Neon Indian NOT playing South Street Seaport (but Chad VanGaalen is) (plus other dates) "

people watching Sonic Youth in Battery Park (more by Jason Bergman)

The 2010 River to River series of free summer shows in NYC is slowly being announced. As previously mentioned, Genesis member Steve Hackett is playing Rockefeller Park, the Bang on a Can Marathon returns to the World Financial Center in June, kids will be crowding into Battery Park on 4th of July, The Old 97s play South Street Seaport the same day, and other bands play South Street Seaport on other days. Rockfeller Park is located at the north end of Battery Park City, and will also host free shows by Beth Orton and Burning Spear this summer. Castle Clinton, also located in Battery Park, has so far announced Antibalas. Free movies on "The Elevated Acre" at 55 Water Street so far this year include "The Muppets Take Manhattan". Those and other free Battery Park events announced so far, below...

Continue reading "free shows in Battery Park - intitial summer 2010 schedule (Beth Orton, Burning Spear, Antibalas & more) "

Sunday, July 4
Dan Zanes Jam & Jubilee
The Battery 4th of July Concert and Family Festival
Presented by Alliance for Downtown New York
Come celebrate the Fourth of July family style with Grammy-Award-winning artist Dan Zanes and his incredible array of musical friends. Spend the day dancing to the infectious rhythms of Columbian band La Cumbiamba eNeYe, marching with the parade of 76 Trombones, and singing along to Dan's own brand of Broadway classics like you've never heard them before! Bring a blanket and enjoy the lawn along with jugglers, stilt walkers, and a cast of larger than life characters. Free,
1pm doors
2pm La Cumiamba eNeYé,
3pm Dan Zanes and Friends,
4:30 76 Trombones
Battery Park, State Street and Battery Place. Space is limited and entry is on a first-come, first-served basis

The above-described free concert at NYC's Battery Park is an annual tradition, except usually the bill features indie rock. Jenny Lewis and Conor Oberst were last year.

South Street Seaport (more by Chris La Putt)

South Street Seaport, NYC (part of the River to River Festival)
July 02 - TBA
July 09 - Bear in Heaven & TBA Zola Jesus
July 16 - Thee Oh Sees & Golden Triangle
July 23 - Free Energy & Best Coast & Loose Limbs
July 30 - Avi Buffalo & TBA Chad VanGaalen
Aug 06 - YACHT & TBA

Also, "The annual Children's Day at the Seaport culminates with the spectacular Target Fireworks, featuring a special performance by The Apples in Stereo accompanied by the Brooklyn Youth Chorus. During the day, families can enjoy performances by Gordon from Sesame Street, Angelina Ballerina, and more, while meeting their favorite storybook characters like Clifford the Big Red Dog, Curious George, and Madeline. (June 26) "

And, there will be a July 4th show with the Old 97's.

photos by Chris La Putt

DOWNLOAD: Black Moth Super Rainbow - Born On A Day The Sun Didn't Rise (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Moth Super Rainbow - Twin of Myself (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Moth Super Rainbow - Twin of Myself (Go! Team remix) (MP3)

"Eating Us is the fourth album by Pennsylvania based band Black Moth Super Rainbow released on May 26, 2009 on the CD format. With a running time of just under 36 minutes, it is the shortest full-length release by the band to date. The album was released in a limited-edition "hairy" version, which includes synthetic hair inside the CD's inner sleeve, and also in a regular "super jewel" casing. The "hairy" version was sold-out before the album was even released due to pre-orders." [Wiki]

Continue reading "Black Moth Super Rainbow, Blank Dogs & Dan Friel @ South Street Seaport in NYC - pics "

photos by Chris La Putt

'Superchunk were awesome. I couldn't believe how much energy they had onstage. But Versus were good too.' - ]Anonymous | July 18, 2009 9:21 AM

"Twenty years of Superchunk. Twenty years of Merge Records. Mac MacCaughan and Laura Ballance, co-founders of both, have got to be feeling pretty good about things. And they certainly weren't at a loss for energy on Friday night. Following a great set from Versus (a sometimes-Merge band that's back at it after quite a few years off), Superchunk hit the gas and never let up.

As the sun disappeared behind the looming skyscrapers of the Financial District and mist thickened over the East River, the band laid down a set of songs from all over their two decades of existence. Though the Seaport has the potential to kill rock 'n' roll vibes with its touristy surroundings, Superchunk was immune to any such bumming-out. Instead they chugged, jumped, squealed and shouted like they were trying to blow the roof off of some smoky and sweaty midsized club.

And, indeed, they even seemed close to blowing the roof off of the dark and cloudy Manhattan sky, as a few errant rain drops hinted at an impending downpour. Fortunately, the deluge held off long enough for the band to bust out an encore of "Slack Motherfucker," a killer finale for a refreshingly spirited show." [John Ruscher]

Continue reading "Superchunk & Versus @ South Street Seaport - pics & videos "

photos by Chris La Putt

"Wow Tift Merritt's voice is even more spectacular & nuanced in RL than on my iPod. Best river to river performance yet"
- Tara Lannen-Stanton

Continue reading "Tift Merritt, Sarah Lee Guthrie & John Irion @ Stuyvesant High School in NYC - pics "

Tift Merritt (by Chris LaPutt)

Singer-songwriter Tift Merritt has summer shows scheduled up through August 9th, when she plays the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. Those dates also include a stop at the Newport Folk Festival on August 1st.

Before those though, Merritt will perform in NYC tonight (July 1st) at a free show with Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion. The gig was supposed to happen at Nelson A. Rockefeller Park, but...

"Due to a threat of inclement weather, tonight's Tift Merritt/Sarah Lee Guthrie/Johnny Irion show has been moved to Stuyvesant High School at 345 Chambers St. Start time is still 7pm. Space is limited, so the first come, first served system will be in effect. "

Tift Merritt's 2005 Lost Highway release, Tambourine, earned her a Grammy nomination for the Best Country Album of the Year. Her newsest album, recorded live and acoustic, is called Buckingham Solo. It came out earlier this year, and is available through Fantasy Records and on iTunes. She discussed that record and played live on WNRN in April. That, with all tour dates, is below...

Continue reading "Tift Merritt tour dates (free NYC show moved inside tonight)"

by Andrew Frisicano

Ryuichi Sakamoto & the Bang on a Can All-Stars

"This year's marathon offered works by 28 composers on Sunday, from noon to just past midnight, at the World Financial Center in Lower Manhattan. Like the last several, it was presented as a free concert, part of the River to River Festival. Early in the day listeners came and went, but by 5 p.m. the center's atrium (which holds 2,000) was packed, and it remained so to the end." [NY Times]

Around 10pm, Ryuichi Sakamoto sat behind the room's piano for a quiet solo piece punctuated by sparks of crackling static. Mid-set he paused to call a BoaC tech over to fix the piano, before finishing with a burst of dreamy chords and carefully spare melodies.

After welcoming the Bang on a Can All-Stars on stage (a sextet of guitar, bass, percussion, cello, keys and clarinet), Sakamoto and two band members "conducted" with pocket mirrors, reflecting the room's lights on the white backdrop in what looked like lens flare from a sunny photo. The sustained textures of the ensemble's first piece gave way to a more structured, percussive songs that focused on a repeating three-bar phrase and its variations.

The BoaC All-Stars remained on stage for their performance of Steve Martland's Horses of Instruction, apparently an old standard for the group. They certainly had fun with it, adding percussionist Eduardo Leandro on marimba. Clarinetist Evan Ziporyn traded for a tenor sax as he led the piece jumping and gesticulating through the changes. The busy work juxtaposed the restrained Sakamoto songs with parts that moved from shredding cello to Frisell-like guitar comping to swinging and pulsating drums. The song was a sufficient energy boost to prep the crowd for Tortoise, who'd be closing the night.

Tortoise was recently discussed at length in a review of their show at the Bell House one night earlier, but briefly speaking, the band played a short, 7-song set largely driven by its two drum kits. Other songs abandoned the drums for malleted percussion, which moved the group away from driving jams to more minimal pastures. Their volume drowned out the room's rattling air conditioners, but at times the drums, right up front, overwhelmed the total group sound in the echoing hall. Granted, shifting, propulsive beats are kind of Tortoise's raison d'être, and their groove-heavy songs capped the Marathon with engaging, kinetic energy. A collection of psyched devotees jammed along in an area next to the stage.

The Marathon officially kicked off this year's River to River Festival, which will host many shows throughout the summer. Tortoise will be back as well, with a July tour that includes a show at (Le) Poisson Rouge.

Bang on a Can will use the Marathon's momentum to host two benefits this week -- both taking place Wednesday, June 3rd at LPR. The big-money early show and bargain-priced late show will feature established big names and talented up-and-comers, respectively. More specifically, Steve Reich, Meredith Monk, David Cossin, Wu Man, Maya Beiser, Talujon and Doug Aitken appear for the intimate dinner and music early benefit. So Percussion, Gutbucket, Newspeak and NOW Ensemble hold it down late. Tickets for the late show are still on sale.

Check out some videos from the whole day, and a few more pics from the late-night portion, below...

Continue reading "Bang on a Can Marathon 2009 in review w/ pics & video "

Indie rock nostalgia continues this summer at South Street Seaport. The band Versus have been added to the free show schedule that already includes Polvo and Superchunk (who Versus are opening for on July 17th). Superchunk and Versus are also playing the XX Merge Festival in July. And...

"Versus still continued to tour occasionally but began a recording hiatus in 2001 after it broke up for a short period and Richard Baluyut relocated to San Francisco. The members afterwards moved on to other bands - James Baluyut and Patrick Ramos formed +/-, Fontaine Toups formed The Fontaine Toups and Richard Baluyut converted his solo acoustic project Whysall Lane into a full band. [Wikipedia]

All dates below...

Continue reading "Versus playing Seaport & Mercury Lounge with Plus/Minus"

"It's simple really: Summer. Friday night. New York City. The first port in the new world hosting some of the best new music, as well as those established and influential artists you already know and love. All of this amidst the city's most inspiring views of tall buildings, historic ships and nighttime sky. All for FREE.

Get ready, cause summer is coming and with it another great line up on Pier 17 at the Seaport. Hard to believe we're entering our eighth season of summer shows but 2009 promises to be amongst our best.

Highlights this year include Superchunk, Polvo, Obits, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and well, pretty much every night is a highlight to us.

Our FREE, outdoor series runs every Friday night from July 3 to August 14. The music starts at 6pm with a Guest DJ and bands go on around 7pm. Join us downtown to take in the stunning backdrop and enjoy New York's best open air venue.

Seaport Music is presented by the River to River Festival."

Continue reading "updated 2009 South Street Seaport Music lineup (free shows)"