Roy Loney of the Flamin' Groovies w/ the A-Bones (more by Jacob Blickenstaff)


Similar to 2009, Roy Loney & Cyril Jordan of The Flamin' Groovies will reunite on stage with "musical accompaniment" by The A-Bones for two shows in two different countries this week. The first happens TONIGHT (4/21) at the Bell House in Brooklyn where The A-Bones will also play a separate set of their own and share a Norton Records family bill with Los Vigilantes and Daddy Longlegs. Tickets are still available.

Then it's on to a plane and to the UK for the proto-punkers who will play an Easter Sunday show as part of the LeBeat Bespoke Festival in London, England. Also playing that British festival (but today) is Eli 'Paperboy' Reed who also has a Brooklyn show in his future. The soulful guy will share a bill with Lily and The Parlor Tricks at Southpaw on June 6th. Tickets are on sale. All tour dates are listed below.

In other soul news, The Budos Band now have a NYC show scheduled. You can catch the instrumental Daptone ensemble when they play a free Summerstage show in Staten Island's Tappen Park on August 3rd. That's about a month and a half after they play the Dave Matthews Band Caravan Festival in Atlantic City, and a couple of weeks before they head down to North Carolina for the Hopscotch Fest.

Daptone family member Lee Fields plays Summerstage this summer too, but the one in Central Park along with Fitz & the Tantrums. Meanwhile catch him with the Sweet Divines at Southpaw in May.

The A-Bones recently played a benefit at Union Pool in support of relief for Japan. How was that? Sometimes A-Bones member and full time Yo La Tengo member Ira Kaplan recently sat in with Obits at Generation Records on Record Store Day. Last night Obits played a different benefit at Union Pool, and pictures and a review from that one (in honor of Brendan Majewski) are on the way.

Tour dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "The Flamin' Groovies are back (Bell House tonight), Eli 'Paperboy' Reed schedules shows, The Budos band too"

Central Park Summerstage (more by Chris La Putt)

The schedule for the 2010 SummerStage series, which has music not just at Central Park, is out, and there are some great looking shows to highlight.

At Central Park, the first "rock" show happens on Saturday, June 5th with Living Colour, Ebony Bones!, Pillow Theory and CX KiDTRONiK. Baaba Maal, who just played Irving Plaza, will be at Central Park too on Monday, June 14th The Tinariwen show on Saturday, June 26th also features Syrian beat & mikeman Omar Souleyman. Gil Scott-Heron plays Central Park in June and Marcus Garvey Park in August.

There's also El Guincho, Bostich and Fussible and others in Central Park on July 7th. Reggae legend Jimmy Cliff plays Central Park on Sunday, July 11th. Raphael Saadiq performs there Saturday, July 17 at 3pm. The Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba/Fool's Gold show on Sunday, July 25th will also feature "West African electronica" band Burkina Electric.

On Wednesday, July 21st, there'll be a Comedy Central's The Daily Show and Friends Central Park gig hosted by Lewis Black with John Oliver, Rob Riggle, Wyatt Cenac, Adam Lowitt and Rory Albanese.

There's also music from St. Vincent, Tune-Yards and Basia Bulat on August 1st at Central Park. The xx play with Jack Penate and Chairlift there on August 8th. At the same spot, Public Enemy play an August 15th day show to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Fear of A Black Planet, and the Specials play on August 22nd with Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears and $mall ¢hange.

The borough-wide shows kick off with Jay Electronica in Red Hook Park on June 1st. Also at that park is Dan Deacon on Tuesday, June 15th. White Rabbits play East River Park on August 12th.

There's lots of great jazz too: McCoy Tyner plays with Ravi Coltrane, Esperanza Spalding and Francisco Mela as part of the CareFusion Jazz Festival on June 23rd. He also plays in the Charlie Parker Jazz Fest, which comes at the end of the summer with an incredible lineup. McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Scott, Jason Moran and the Bandwagon and Revive da Live play during the day at Marcus Garvey on Saturday, August 28th. Then the next day, James Moody, Catherine Russell, Vijay Iyer and The JD Allen Trio play at Tompkins Square Park.

The park benefit shows include John Butler Trio and State Radio on June 15th (tickets on sale), The Flaming Lips on July 26th, The Black Keys with the Morning Benders on July 27th and 28th, Hot Chip/Hercules & Love Affair/Holy Ghost on August 4th, Govt' Mule on August 11th (tickets), and one of the four Pavement shows September 21-24. Plus there's a "songbook of Simon & Garfunkel" benefit on June 8th.

Not all "Summerstage" shows are in Central Park anymore which drives home the point even further that the name of the venue in Central Park is actually "Rumsey Playfield" which hosts non-"Summerstage" shows too. Those so far include Coheed/Torche, CAKE, Ween, and Broken Social Scene.

The full Summerstage free show schedule is below...

Continue reading "Summerstage (Central Park & elsewhere) - full 2010 lineup "

Central Park - July 14, 2009 (Noel Y C)

One down, five free shows to go.

view from St. Mary's Park in the Bronx (Big Map)

Man Man and the BCC crews are in great company this summer. The New York City Parks Foundation will again present its annual CityParks Concerts series of free concerts throughout the five boroughs. Those free events include shows by KRS-One, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Slick Rick, Naughty by Nature, MC Lyte, and even BCC collaborator Raekwon. (By the way... Cuban Links 2 on August 11? I still don't believe it - BB.)

Not every park is covered in this series (like Prospect, Central, and Asser Levy for instance), but I wouldn't be surprised if covers almost every one that doesn't already host its own larger series . Full schedule below...

Continue reading "free shows in NYC parks (2009 schedule includes a lot of hip hop - Raekwon, KRS-One, & Pete Rock included) "

by Andrew Frisicano

"Great Lawn, 15 minutes before the concert" (jamescastle)

This July, the New York Philharmonic will play free outdoor concerts in all five NYC boroughs. Two shows are set for Manhattan, while Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx each gets one... which is one more than Long Island's East Islip. The NY Phil has been performing annual free shows in the town for more than 30 years, but had to cancel its appearance at this year's concert, "cit[ing] the current economic downturn and a resultant loss of sponsors." The Long Island Philharmonic has announced it will take the group's place at the July 18th event.

At least the New York Phiharmonic is doing better than the Brooklyn Philharmonic. The 50+ year old group (vs. the NYP's 150+ years) was less well-equipped to deal with funding losses and recently canceled the remainder of its 2009 season. That's in addition to being sued by a composer who claims the orchestra "'butchered' [his] piece to avoid paying musicians overtime."

Recent Brooklyn Phil shows, that didn't get cancelled, include one with Grizzly Bear and Final Fantasy, and another with Clogs and Bell Orchestre.

The NY Philharmonic also has an upcoming free Memorial Day show. That concert will take place at Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine on Monday, May 25th.

Last year, the NYP ran a photo contest -- the above snapshot was last year's winner in the "Overall Favorite Shot" category.

All free outdoor dates below...

Continue reading "New York Philharmonic's 2009 free summer schedule + cancellations, lawsuits & other orchestra news"

WE ARE NOT PLAYING AT THE NORTHSIDE FESTIVAL BKLYN!!!
Hey Everyone,

Contrary to the recent press release, Cymbals Eat Guitars are not playing at the Northside Festival in Brooklyn NY. There seems to have been some mistake.

We'll have an update shortly.

Thanks for your patience,

CEG [via MySpace]

They may not be playing the Northside Festival, but they are playing Monkeytown Wednesday night, opening for The Walkmen and Beach House at Webster Hall on April 16th, and playing all of the shows listed below...

Continue reading "Cymbals Eat Guitars not playing Northside, other tour dates"

Tonight (June 10) is your chance to experience The Budos Band on a boat cruise around Manhattan (that is, if you have a ticket...it is sold out!!). There are a lot of shows tonight, but not many are actually on the water.

Saturday (June 14) is your chance to experience The Budos Band in their home-borough of Staten Island - not on the water, but near the water at Snug Harbor. There are a lot of shows this summer, but not many are in the borough known for its landfills.

At currently-172 comments, the Rock The Harbor Festival post turned out to be one of the most controversial event listings on this site in recent history. Do you want to go, but can't justify making the trip to Staten Island AND paying the $15 ticket price? Well, we've got FIVE PAIRS of tickets to give away. Details on how to win (and all Budos Band dates) below...

Continue reading "Budos Band tour dates, tonight, a Staten Island fest contest "

Mahoney Playground
Beechwood Ave., Crescent Ave., Cleveland St. & Jersey St.
Wednesday, July 30th: The Delfonics
Wednesday, August 6th: Chubb Rock
Wednesday, August 13th: Barbara Mason

Chubb Rock (who recently celebrated his birthday) is also playing a free show in Brooklyn on June 28th, but at that one he'll be a member of the Crooklyn Dodgers.

There's also a mini festival happening in Staten Island on June 14th (that isn't free).

Continue reading "Rock the Harbor (a Staten Island music festival) (June 14)"

Tim Fite just completed a tour with My Brightest Diamond. Their second to last show together was Saturday night (Nov 17, 2007) at the Blender Theater at Gramercy in NYC. How was it? Eduardo says "MBD was pure magic".

Catch Tim Fite again this Friday night (Nov 23).....in Staten Island @ Martini Red (you'll find the address on the venue map). Aeroplane Pageant & The Heavenly Tenants are also playing the free show (thx Pat).