Steve Martin & his new CD

today in NYC
* NY Dolls autograph signing
* Storm Large @ Joe's Pub
* Slavic Soul Party @ Barbes
* Musette Explosion @ Barbes
* Furthur @ Best Buy Theater
* Darlings @ Kim's Video and Music
* Tell All Your Friends @ Lolita Bar
* That 1 Guy, Bajzel @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Harvey Milk, Luke Roberts @ Union Pool
* Alvin Curran, Elliott Sharp @ The Stone
* Allman Brothers Band @ Beacon Theatre
* Kayo Dot, Vaura, Throat @ Bowery Electric
* The Pogues, Titus Andronicus @ Terminal 5
* WhoMadeWho, Giana Factory @ Mercury Lounge
* Steve Martin, The Steep Canyon Rangers @ Joe's Pub
* Godspeed You! Black Emperor @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple
* Johnossi, Cristina Black, Hungry Kids of Hungary @ Mercury Lounge
* Future Islands, Simon Says No, Bloodgroup @ Santos Party House
* Alcoholic Faith Mission, Low Water @ Knitting Factory
* The Babies, Widowspeak, Dutch Treat, Tanks Amigo @ Monster Island Basement
* David Thomas Broughton, Oh Ruin, Alex Highton @ Rockwood Music Hall
* Jennifer O'Connor, Laura Cantrell, Franklin Bruno, Tim Bracy @ The Rock Shop
* Young Bear, Miss Shevaughn & Yuma Wray, The Montana Masback Mystical Experience @ The Acheron
* Skuli Sverrisson, Anthony Burr, Brad Shepik, Eivind Opsvik, Caleb Burhans, Brandon Seabrook @ Le Poisson Rouge

More about Bajzel and other shows in This Week in Indie.

Christian Finnegan, Dave Hill, Mike Lawrence, Amy Miles, and others appear at Tell All Your Friends tonight.

The music portion of SXSW kicks of Wednesday - BrooklynVegan Day Party & Official Showcase included.

What else?

Steve Martin posted these...

Hopefully Steve Martin will make a little more change with the release of "Rare Bird Alert", his second bluegrass album with The Steep Canyon Rangers. It comes out on on March 15th via Rounder Records. He should also make a little loot (not saying he needs it) from the series of intimate record release shows he's going to play with the band in NYC that week. The shows are happening at Highline Ballroom (on sale Friday at noon), Joe's Pub (three shows - probably go on sale Friday) and Music Hall of Williamsburg (on AmEx presale now with general sale starting Friday). It's also possible there are even more I don't know about yet (he seems to be taking 3/18 off). If so, let me know.

All tour dates, which also include one show at Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, NJ (tickets), and another show at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts in Morristown, NJ (tickets), are below.

Continue reading "Steve Martin releasing new bluegrass LP, playing 5 NYC shows (and other dates)"

Punch Brothers' Wednesday, June 23rd show set for Town Hall (as part of the CareFusion Jazz Fest) has been canceled. Instead, the bluegrass band will play the same night at Music Hall of Williamsburg. "Tickets already purchased for The Town Hall concert can be refunded at point of purchase". Tickets for the Brooklyn show are on sale now. Julian Lage Group opens.

The Punch Brothers' new CD, Antifogmatic, comes out June 15th on Nonesuch. You can get a song from it on their site for your email address.

The group's other shows this summer include Bonnaroo and gigs around the country, including some opening for Steve Martin & Steep Canyon Rangers. Album tracklist and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Punch Brothers show moved (sort of) from Town Hall to MHOW, new album soon, more dates (some w/ Steve Martin) "

Newport Folk Festival 2009 (more by Jim Brueckner)

Newport Folk Festival will be happening again at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island, on July 31st and August 1st. The fest will also host a Friday night show on July 30th at the International Tennis Hall of Fame at Newport Casino.

The lineup so far includes Levon Helm's Ramble on the Road, John Prine, Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers, Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket, The Swell Season, Andrew Bird, The Avett Brothers, Brandi Carlile, Doc Watson & David Holt, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Calexico, Blitzen Trapper, Richie Havens, Sam Bush, The Low Anthem, Tim O'Brien, The Felice Brothers, Justin Townes Earle, Tao Seeger Band, A.A. Bondy, The Punch Brothers with Chris Thile, Dawes, Nneka, Horse Feathers, Pokey LaFarge & the South City Three, Ben Sollee & Daniel Martin Moore, Sarah Jarosz, Cory Chisel & the Wandering Sons, O'Death and Liz Longley.

Tickets are on sale.

Here are pictures from DAY ONE and DAY TWO of last year's fest. Videos from last year and the list of the artists playing this year, by day, is below...

Continue reading "Newport Folk Fest 2010 - initial lineup, dates & tickets "

After a hectic day of updating the constantly updating Bonnaroo lineup page, the entire thing has been announced. Gwar, Norah Jones, and the rest of the lineup below...

Continue reading "the complete 2010 Bonnaroo lineup (Stevie Wonder, The Melvins, Kings of Leon, Isis, Local Natives & many more) "

Steve Martin's Tuesday night concert at Carnegie Hall was billed as "An Evening of Banjo and Bluegrass."

But he couldn't resist adding some comedy to the mix, sprinkling some novelty songs into his set list, and frequently giving his between-song patter a dry, absurdist twist.

At one point, he said that he likes to write songs from personal experience. "And this one is called, "I Think My Masseuse is Too Chatty,' " he said. (It actually turned out to be the title track from his May album, "The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo.")

"This is a song . . . well, that pretty much says it," he said, introducing another number. [Star Ledger]

That's a review from the October 6th Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers banjo show at Carnegie Hall. On October 14th he and the band were set to take the stage at the Wellmont Theater in NJ, but that show has been canceled...

We regret to announce that due to scheduling issues, Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers has been cancled on Wednesday Oct. 14th. Tickets can be refunded at point of purchase. Thank you

I don't know any other details, but the October 19th Philly show was canceled too. Right before Carnegie, Steve appeared on Letterman. That video below...

Continue reading "Steve Martin played Carnegie/Letterman, canceling shows "

Steve Martin @ Rubin Museum in May (more by Ryan Muir)

Years ago, in my old comedy act, I said, "You just can't play a sad song on the banjo." This was for comic effect only, because I knew the banjo had a capacity for mournful melodies and the "high, lonesome sound." As I was sometimes mournful, sometimes lonesome, and sometimes high, this suited me perfectly. I also found myself passionately affected by the banjo's driving staccato, darting rhythm, and inexplicable sadness. It was as though the banjo generated nostalgia for experiences I never had, joy I was yet to experience, and melancholy that was yet to come. [Steve Martin - Liner notes to "The Crow"]

The above is a selection from the liner notes for Steve Martin's first all-music album, The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo, which came out in May. A few weeks after its release, Martin performed with the Steep Canyon Rangers in a two-night run at the Rubin Museum. He'll be back this October, as part of a fall North American tour, with opening act Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys and the Steep Canyon Rangers again behind him. They play Carnegie Hall on October 6th (tix on sale) and NJ's Wellmont Theatre on October 14th (no ticket info yet).

All tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers - 2009 Tour Dates "

photos by Ryan Muir

"Comedian, actor, author, and banjo player Steve Martin releases his first musical recording since 1978's number 1 hit "King Tut." This is no novelty record though. It's some of the best banjo music to come down the pike in a long time. The Crow features able assistance from some of Steve's pals, including Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Earl Scruggs, Bela Fleck, Tim O'Brien and Mary Black. Martin wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on this album, creating a new body of work that will stand alongside the classics for years to come" [Rounder Records]

Somewhat surreal to say seriously, but Steve Martin completed his 3-show run in support of his new album at the Rubin Museum of Art last night (5/28) - he played one show on Wednesday, and then two on Thursday (early and late). These pictures are from the final show (the pictures where he's not wearing a jacket were taken during soundcheck - like the one above).

"A Tentative Evening of Bluegrass with Steve Martin performing with the Steep Canyon Rangers" is how the mostly-instrumental show was billed. When singing came, it was by the Rangers at first, and then from Steve on two songs towards the end - "Late for School" and "Orange Blossom". Everyone on stage seemed to be having fun. The band played two of their own songs in the middle of the set, and Steve played one song solo, and one with just the fiddle player. A guest banjo player appeared at one point, and white sashes were given to Steve and the band "as a monk tradition where you give the guests a token to make their troubles go away (or something like that)". Steve introduced most of his songs with short explanations, had a good rapprt with the band, and he was generally funny throughout the night - making jokes about tuning on stage, and the the "changing temperature" of the room. Ryan also said they were great, and the sound in the room was amazing.

"The Rubin Museum of Art (RMA) is home to a comprehensive collection of art from the Himalayas and surrounding regions."

More pictures below...

Continue reading "Steve Martin & banjo @ the Rubin Museum of Art, NYC - pics"

Rubin Museum of Art and The Bowery Presents
A Tentative Evening of Bluegrass with Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers
Tickets can be purchased at 212.620.5000 ext. 344 or on line at www.rmanyc.org. Tickets include admission to the Museum's galleries before the show.

Venue: Rubin Museum of Art
Dates: Wed 5/27 & Thu 5/28
Notes: all ages, Doors 9:15 PM / Show 9:30 PM, $50

Online tickets sales begin Friday, April 17th at 10:00 a.m.
Phone sales begin Friday, April 17th at 11:00 a.m.

Bluegrass is all the rage. A Ramone is doing it. Same with the frontman of Led Zeppelin. So why not Steve Martin? Actually he's been doing it for a long time. Check out the videos below...

Continue reading "Steve Martin plays the banjo - A Tentative Evening of Bluegrass (tickets on sale Friday)"

the fifth in a series where we asked comedians to tell us what was good this year....

Because the man does so damned much, Fred Armisen is one of the hardest individuals to sum up in a pre-list blurb. He's 50% of ThunderAnt (the other 50% is Carrie Brownstein of Sleater Kinney). He just released a DVD called Jens Hannemann: Complicated Drumming Technique. He has also been doing some live gigs. And in addition to being a senior member of SNL, Fred's mug can be seen in scads of movies and TV shows (check out his resume on IMDB). Being equal parts artist and entertainer, he's absolutely one of my favorite people in entertainment and I am triple-dog-delighted he took the time out to share with BV the things he enjoyed in 2007 - Klaus

- - -

10 things I bought/got/looked at this year that I love.

Paul McCartney, The McCartney Years DVD - It has live McCartney footage from 1976 that is amazing. He plays these really busy bass lines and sings at the same time effortlessly. I don't know how someone is able to do that so well. And I love that lefty Rickenbacker!

Petra Haden, Don't Stop Believin' - This is on a compilation album called Guilt By Association that came out this year. Her voice is just the greatest ever and the guitar solo part kills me. She's working on an acappella version of movie soundtracks right now that is unbelievable.

The Apple iPhone - It makes me feel like I am finally in the future. When I was a kid, this is what I imagined I'd be using in the 2000's. If you tap a business name into the map application, it finds it for you AND gives you the phone number AND gives you directions INCLUDING how to avoid traffic at that precise moment. I mean, are you kidding me? Thank you inventors who work at Apple!

God Of War 2 for Playstation - It's more complex than the first one but also more difficult. I liked it a lot, but couldn't finish it past the flying horse fights.

Steve Martin, Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life - Mr. Martin writes about the part of his life when he was a stand up comedian. His focus on working on every detail of his act is fascinating. At age fifteen he was already giving himself notes in a notebook. "Relax. Don't shake."

dlisted.com - This celebrity gossip site seriously makes me laugh out loud. The guy who writes this is SO funny! I look at this probably ten times a day. I was going to quote some of his stuff but I say just go to it and read it.

continued below....

Continue reading "Best of 2007 by Fred Armisen"

DOWNLOAD: Brian Wilson - Heroes and Villains (MP3)

Fleisher, Scorcese, Diana Ross, Brian Wilson, Steve Martin & Bushs

Tickets go on sale this morning for the new Van Halen shows. A second Aretha Franklin show at Radio City goes on sale today too. Natalie Merchant is playing five nights at Hiro Ballroom.

Brian Wilson, Steven Martin, Martin Scorcese & George Bush? Weird, but true. Berkeley Place lists the top 10 political songs of 2007.