East River Park Summerstage in 2010 (more by Andrew St. Clair)

Free Summerstage shows at East River Park are underway and will be going down throughout this week and next. As mentioned, tonight (8/19), UCB Comedy will be presenting The All-Stars of Improv with two acts of improvised comedy from various performers. Tonight's show starts at 7 PM just after the Jamaica 50th Independence Day celebration is wrapping up farther uptown at Central Park Summerstage.

Other shows at East River Park include the previously discussed Red Bull Music Academy co-presented show with Araabmuzik, Flosstradamus, Teengirl Fantasy, and Nick Hook on Monday (8/20), the previously discussed Lyricist Lounge 20th Anniversary show on Wednesday (8/22) with DJ Premier vs. Pete Rock, and the Two Boots 25th Anniversary show on Thursday (8/23) with Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, Mamarazzi, Odetta Hartman, Himalayas, and The Whiskeyhickon Boys. That show will be hosted by Luis Guzman, will feature poetry from Nuyorican Poet's Café: Caroline Rothstein, Mahogany Browne, and Marshall "Soulful" Jones, and performance art from Lady Circus and the Magic Beans, Free Art Society, and 4Heads Art Collective, plus free pizza.

An updated East River Park schedule is below...

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Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars released their new album, Radio Salone, on Tuesday (4/24) via Cumbancha. The album was recorded using analog equipment in New York. Here's what the band had to say about recording in NYC from an interview with PopMatters:

It was so different from New Orleans. I remember New Orleans in July felt like home. It felt like Africa. We always say to people that New Orleans reminds us of our home. But for the record (haha) we really appreciate being in New York. It is such a big city that we have never been able to take it all in, especially at the time of year that we were there. It was January and we were exposed to weather that was very, very unfriendly to us. We were not used to severe weather like that and we weren't sure we would even survive. The snow is interesting for one day, maybe two but after that it was too much. Oh... I remember we would just sit in the studio all with our hands on one heater--with our cold caps (winter hats) pulled over our ears and nobody was happy when it was their turn to sing or play their part because it meant being away from the heater! Luckily we had friends from Sierra Leone that would bring us spicy food from home to keep us warm. I'd like to go back to NYC for some time, but next make it summertime, I beg you!

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars will be embarking on a tour in support of the album this spring/summer. They'll make their way to NYC on June 29 at Highline Ballroom. Tickets are on sale now. All dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars released an LP, touring (dates)"

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars are on a "Positive Revolution Tour" that hits NYC this weekend. Catch them Saturday May 28 at The Bell House. Tickets are still available. The tour is in honor of Sierra Leone's 50th Anniversary of Independence celebration. Check out the tour video and some more dates below...

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Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars @ Celebrate Brooklyn 2007 (heartonastick)

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars are touring the US in August and September. That includes a September 11th show at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. Tickets are on sale. They also already have scattered dates scheduled in 2011 including JamCruise 9

The group visited NYC earlier this year, and they just finished a run of fests in the North East, all in support of their new album, Rise & Shine, which came out in March.

All tour dates and video from their Prospect Park show pictured above are below...

Continue reading "Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars - 2010 Tour Dates"

Outside Lands 2009 (more by Chris Graham)

San Francisco's Outside Lands Festival 2010 takes place in Golden Gate Park from August 14th-15th. Headlining acts for the fest include Kings of Leon, Furthur featuring Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, The Strokes, My Morning Jacket, Phoenix, Social Distortion, Levon Helm and Al Green. Other acts include Nas & Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, The Budos Band, Dawes, Gogol Bordello, Cat Power Janelle Monáe and Tokyo Police Club. The full lineup (which will be added to) is below.

Two-day passes go on sale Tuesday, June 2nd at 1pm EST. Single day tickets go on sale Sunday, June 6th.

Check out pictures from all three days of Outside Lands 2009 (which as you may have figured out was one day longer than this year's).

A video trailer for this year's fest and the lineup is below...

Continue reading "Outside Lands 2010 lineup announced"