photos by Chris La Putt

"Dear friends, Yes. That was me singing with Levon Helm & Emmylou & so many friends in Central Park. One of those nights you hold onto." - Tift Merritt

Levon Helm, Emmylou Harris and Hayes Carll played Summerstage last night (7/18). Pictures from that show are in this post.

During Levon Helm's set, David Bromberg played on "Tongue" (a Bromberg song that Levon recorded with him) and Emmylou Harris helped perform "Evangeline", and then Harris, Hayes, Bromberg, Joan Osborne, Tift Merritt, Shawn Colvin and others joined the band for a performance of The Band's "The Weight." We don't have pictures of that part, but you can watch a video of it below.

"The Weight", as usual, was the last song in Levon's set. You can check out the full written setlist below though note they actually opened with "Ophelia" and didn't play "Wheels".

Setlist, video and pictures below....

Continue reading "Levon Helm, Emmylou Harris, Hayes Carll & friends played Summerstage (pics, video, setlist)"

Bettye Lavette at Highline Ballroom (more by Jacob Blickenstaff )

A quick reminder that one of the greatest songwriters of all-time, Neil Young, will be celebrated at Carnegie Hall in two days (2/10) as part of a benefit for music & arts programs of underpriviledged youth. The bill is beyond diverse, featuring The Roots, Nada Surf, Glen Hansard, DeVotchka, J Mascis and Bettye Lavette just to name a few of the twenty+ that are on board. "100% of the net proceeds from this event" will benefit charities like Fixing Instruments for Kids in Schools, Church Street School for Music & Art, The Pinwheel Project, Music Unites, The American Symphony Orchestra and Young Audiences New York, so pick up your tickets with a clear conscious!

Meanwhile, quite a few of the Neil Young-tribute artists have recently been or will be very active. Glen Hansard recently played City Winery and the Doveman show at LPR. Patti Smith & Jesse Smith are scheduled to play the Tibet benefit at Carnegie Hall in March. When Questlove of The Roots isnt going to see Prince or spinning at Brooklyn Bowl, he can be found on Jimmy Fallon. Nada Surf recently played Mercury Lounge and Rock Shop. DeVotchKa will play Highline in March with El Mariachi Bronx. Juliana Hatfield & Evan Dando were just at Maxwell's and the Bell House. J Mascis has his upcoming tour with shows at Mercury Lounge and MHoW.

Ben Ottewell of Gomez plays the Neil Young event and an early solo show at Mercury Lounge the next day.

And last, but certainly not least, Bettye Lavette, besides paying tribute to the great rock'n roll patriarch from the North, also has quite a NYC residency in the spring when she'll set up shop at Cafe Carlyle from 5/24 - 6/3 (no shows on 5/29, 5/30). Ticketing info is forthcoming, but all tour dates, the full Neil Young Tribute lineup and some videos are below...

Continue reading "Neil Young tribute show coming, Bettye Lavette playing shows at Cafe Carlyle & elsewhere, Ben Ottewell will be at Merc"

"Played the Simon & Garfunkel tribute in Central Park last night. John Roderick brought it! Ben Gibbard's psych jam ruled..." - Aimee Mann

Holmes Brothers (Sherman, Popsy and Wendell) & Mayor Bloomberg (WFUV)

Ben Gibbard & St. Vincent play "Fakin it" (WFUV)

Paul Simon & WFUV Music Director Rita Houston (WFUV)

SummerStage hosted a pricey benefit for its free programming last night (June 8) in Central Park. The show was a tribute to the songs of Simon & Garfunkel, and musicians covered the pair mostly as duos. St. Vincent and Ben Gibbard teamed up for "Fakin' It," Dean & Britta played "Homeward Bound," Alejandro Escovedo and Willie Nile played "The Boxer," Aimee Mann and John Roderick did "Only Living Boy in New York," Loudon Wainwright III and Lucy Wainwright Roche sang "Bleecker Street" and lots more. Both Simon and Garfunkel were there, but didn't perform. The full performer+set list is posted below.

How did the new speakers at Central Park sound? The SummerStage series continues through August. Celebrate Brooklyn kicks off TONIGHT (6/9).

No videos from the show at the moment, but someone posted some from the show's rehearsal that took place one night earlier at City Winery. Those with the Central Park setlist, below...

Continue reading "Simon & Garfunkel were honored at Summerstage, Ben Gibbard performed w/ St. Vincent & much more"

Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin & Buddy Miller (Three Girls and their Buddy) are playing Wellmont Theater in NJ on June 2nd. Tickets are on sale.

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the TV on the Radio show coming up at Central Park Summerstage.

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for all three Mogwai shows happening at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for both Thermals shows happening at Bowery Ballroom.

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the Paul Weller show happening at Nokia Theatre.

Tickets went on sale at 11 for Band of Horses at Carnegie Hall.

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the School of Seven Bells show happening at Bowery Ballroom.

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the Harlem Shakes show happening at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the Spectrum show at Mercury Lounge.

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the IAMX show at Bowery Ballroom.

Keane, Mat Kearney and Helio Sequence are playing Radio City Music Hall on May 27th. Tickets are on sale.