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.

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) "

Rocker Phil Collins has spoken out about the difficulties he faces in drumming after undergoing surgery to correct a spinal cord injury and nerve damage caused by years of playing.

"My vertebrae has been crushing my spinal cord because of the position I drum in," he told Rolling Stone. "It comes from years of playing. I can't even hold the sticks properly without it being painful."

Collins has, however, found a new way to drum.

"The first time I picked up the drumsticks after my neck surgery, they flew across the room because I couldn't grip them," he said. When I play, I've had to tape the sticks to my hand. It's like wearing a condom. It's very strange. It really cramps your style."

The drummer added that he hopes another upcoming surgery will help him regain full use of his hands.

Due to Collins' injury, talks of another Genesis reunion have been suspended. The drummer did note, however, that he hopes to perform with a Peter Gabriel-led lineup of Genesis again some day [they toured in 2007 without Peter Gabriel]. [RTT News]

With the Genesis reunion on the shelf for now, Phil Collins is putting together an album of Motown covers to come out this September. To promote the record, he'll be playing four nights at NYC's Roseland Ballroom on June 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th with a 19-piece band. Tickets to those are on Citibank presale now. General sale starts Friday, April 23rd at 10am. More info below.

Serious Genesis fans may want to think twice about seeing Phil on June 23rd (unless they plan to go all four nights). Another Genesis member plays a (free) show in NYC on the same day...

Steve Hackett and Renaissance
Presented by Battery Park City Authority
Steve Hackett, best know as the Genesis guitarist, continues to shine as a star performer and composer in his own right with an original and extraordinary acoustic and electric playing style. Art-rock ensemble Renaissance, led by vocalist Annie Haslam, perfected a synthesis of folk pop and symphonic influence on their classic albums Prologue, Turn of the Cards, and the remade Scheherazade.
Free, 7pm, Rockefeller Park, River Terrace and Warren Streets 212.417.2000

Peter Gabriel, like Phil, has his own new album of covers and shows coming up too. He plays two nights in May at Radio City Music Hall. Tickets are still on sale.

More about Phil Collins' live band and some videos below....

Continue reading "this week in Genesis - Phil Collins releasing Motown covers & playing 4 NYC shows, Steve Hackett playing free summer show "

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. "

The Jay Reatard show, also scheduled outdoors tonight, is still on (as far as we know), and the Celebrate Brooklyn gig with MGMT, Kuroma and Suckers at the Prospect Park Bandshell is -- as always (allegedly) -- rain or shine.

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)"

The Avett Brothers @ Jam on the River 2008 (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

To our dearest fans,

Since we first performed as The Avett Brothers, we have been fortunate enough to find and build a genuine and mutual respect with those who care to listen. It is this kind exchange that champions our music, and allows us the forum to continue on our path, with this work, this art. We believe this to be an appropriate time for a brief update, as we would like for you all to know of the most noteworthy of present developments.

We have recently begun working on a new full length album with Rick Rubin. The recording process has been,and will no doubt continue to be,an experience defined by heightened levels of commitment and conviction. It is our distinct pleasure and honor to be in such fine company as we build and bring this most current chapter of songs to fruition.

With this union has come another, as we have just completed and signed an agreement with American/Columbia Records,the label with whom we will proudly release our next record. It is our sincere hope, in regard to this news,that our ongoing relationship with Ramseur Records is understood. There have been, and will be no hard feelings or abandon-based resentment from either party involved. The Avett and Ramseur camps remain strongly and truthfully connected, both personally and professionally. There has been no change in these matters through this momentous transition.

For all of you who have gone to such great lengths to show your appreciation, we continue in our most sincere efforts to return the sentiment. The music would go nowhere without you. Our hearts and our minds are on the recording of this next album, and we look forward with great anticipation to sharing it with you all. Until then, thank you as always, and we will see you somewhere on that open road...

Sincerely,
The Avett Brothers
July, 2008

The Avett Brothers are playing a free show at Rockefeller Park in NYC this Wednesday July 9th. Some videos and all tour dates below....

Continue reading "the Avett Brothers sign to Columbia, FREE SHOW, tour dates "

photos by Fresh Bread

Senegalese band Orchestra Baobab is one of the pioneers of Afro pop and they have impacted many artists to come, like Youssou N'Dour and Baaba Maal. Their new album, "Made in Dakar" has new songs, as well as a collection of pieces from the band's 20 records, some of which were only available on tapes. [WNYC]

Orchestra Baobab played their first of two free NYC shows at Rockefeller Park (part of the River to River festival) last night (June 25th). Their next show is today in Metrotech at noon. More pictures from yesterday below....

Continue reading "Orchestra Baobab @ Rockefeller Park, NYC - pics"

Orchestra Baobab is a Senegalese Afro-Cuban, Son, and Pachanga band. Organized in 1970, as a multi-ethnic, multi-national club band, Orchestre Baobab adapted the then current craze for Cuban Music (growing out of the Congolese Soukous style) in West Africa to Wolof Griot culture and the Mandinga musical traditions of the Casamance. One of the dominant African bands of the 1970s, they were overshadowed in the 1980s and broke up, only to reform in 2001 after interest in their recordings grew in Europe. [Wikipedia]

Orchestra Baobab play two shows in NYC this week. Both of them are free! The first one is Wednesday afternoon in Rockefeller Park. The second one is Thursday at Metrotech in Brooklyn at noon. All dates below...

Continue reading "Orchestra Baobab - 2008 Tour Dates (2 free NYC shows)"

the Punch Brothers @ Wintergrass 2008 (armadilo60)

Chris Thile's new band The Punch Brothers are playing a free show in Rockefeller Park in NYC this summer. Same with Otis Clay, Jill Sobule, The Avett Brothers, Steel Pulse, and a few others. Chris Thile also has three solo shows coming up at Living Room. All shows below....

Continue reading "free shows in Rockefeller Park, The Punch Brothers and Chris Thile tour dates (Living Room) "

DOWNLOAD: Spoon - Stay Don't Go (live @ Greek Theatre) (MP3)

Spoon @ Rockefeller Park, NYC - July 11, 2007 (CRED)

After nearly two hours of rain, the skies semi-cleared, allowing for a short window for Spoon to fit in a 45 minute set last night at Rockefeller Park on the Hudson River. [Waved Rumor]

According to the comments, the show ended up going from 8:15 - 9:00. Did anyone manage to see Spoon and Deerhunter?