Watch out House of Vans, it looks like yeat another corporate-sponsored show-series is vying for contender of "best free shows" in NY this year. Taking place over fifteen days in Long Beach, NY (and finally explaining that mysterious Flaming Lips date), The Quiksilver Pro New York series ("the first-ever ASP World Championship Tour stop on the East Coast of the United States") will feature surfing, skating, and BMX demos from some of the biggest names out there (Kelly Slater, Tony Hawk, etc).... not to mention some major music acts like The Flaming Lips, Girl Talk, Interpol, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Q-Tip, Neon Indian, Wavves, Taking Back Sunday, Saves The Day, and many more. Best of all, admission to everything is FREE.

All dates with the full lineups are below, but the music portion kicks off on Saturday, 9/3 with Girl Talk, Saves The Day, "a special surprise performance" & more. Sunday has Interpol, Portugal. The Man, The Ettes (who play NYC tonight), and more. Monday (Labor Day) will see Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Civil Twilight, and more. 9/9 is probably the most impressive show with The Flaming Lips, Q-Tip, Neon Indian, Wavves and Charlotte O'Connor. Saturday 9/10 will play host to a "Benefit Concert Hosted By Kelly Slater & Friends + The Max Weinberg Experience" with Taking Back Sunday, The Sounds and SLUNT. More details on the benefit show are TBA.

If you can't make it to Long Island, "The Quiksilver Pro New York will be broadcast from September 3-15 by MSG and Fuse, with programming that will feature some of the biggest artists, athletes and live performances from the event."

More details and lineups below...

Continue reading "Quiksilver hosting free shows in Long Island (Girl Talk, Flaming Lips, Interpol, Q-Tip, Neon Indian, Wavves, more)"

Lupe Fiasco is currently in Australia as part of the Big Day Out Festival, touring with names like Iggy Pop, Deftones, Grinderman, and countless others. After returning back to the states, he'll get ready to welcome his new LP Lasers into this world, due on March 8th. The Chicago MC will celebrate the release with a date at Webster Hall the night before it hits the streets and tickets go on sale at noon today (1/28). Lupe recently released the first single from the LP, the Modest Mouse-sampling "The Show Must Go On" via iTunes.

Tickets also go on sale at noon for Rick Ross at Best Buy Theater on March 4th, and fortunately if you can't make that show you can make it out to see him support Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj at Nassau Coliseum on March 27th as part of the I Am Music II tour. Ticket info for that show hasn't been released yet. All dates below.

Those of you who want to see Lil Wayne but might prefer to see him in a much (much) different setting than the third of three hip hop acts (instead with Motley Crue, Waka Flocka Flame, Insane Clown Posse & Bruno Mars?) can catch the recently freed MC at Bamboozle 2011 in New Jersey. Tickets are still available for the festival in multi-day, and single day pass increments.

And lets say, for some godforsaken reason you felt like a double dose of Insane Clown Posse.... that can be arranged. Insane Clown Posse has taken time off of their busy wrestling schedule to shower New York City with Faygo on April 29th at Gramercy Theater. Tickets are still available all of you Juggalos and Juggalettes!

Full Bamboozle lineup and all Lil Wayne tour dates are below.

Continue reading "Lupe Fiasco adds record release show, Rick Ross playing NY before tour w/ Nicki Minaj & Lil Wayne (who plays Bamboozle w/ Insane Clown Posse) -- lineups & dates"

Irving Plaza - June 23, 2010 (EV Grieve)

Previously: Irving Plaza is getting its name back

Public Enemy @ Roots Picnic (more by Tim Griffin)

WARREN, NJ, June 24, 2009 Speculation and predictions that have filled blogs and discussion boards can be put to rest. The Virgin Mobile Festival is returning, but with a catch. It'll be free.

Virgin Mobile USA, creator of one of the largest and most critically acclaimed music festivals in the U.S., announced today that it would host the 2009 Virgin Mobile Festival on Sunday, August 30, at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md., free of charge. All tickets will be given away, and previous Virgin Mobile Festival ticket buyers and Virgin Mobile customers will have the first crack at securing the 35,000 tickets.

The move celebrates both a giveback to music fans in a bad economy as well as an effort to solicit donations to homeless youth agencies in need around the country via The RE*Generation, Virgin Mobiles charitable arm. Most sponsors, including premier sponsor Kyocera Communications, will be building awareness for the cause in their marketing efforts around the festival.

"Instead of focusing on layoffs or the state of the economy, we want to focus on concrete ways to provide assistance to those in need", said Dan Schulman, CEO, Virgin Mobile USA. "People need outlets to both lend a helping hand and to escape and relax, for free, even if just for one day. We want to throw some good news in the mix".

The 2009 Virgin Mobile FreeFest will be hosted on the beautiful, 40 wooded acres of Merriweather Post Pavilion. The grounds and facilities of Merriweather will be expanded to accommodate the multiple stage and dance tent set-up from prior Virgin Mobile Festivals. Those scheduled to appear at this years FreeFest include Weezer, Blink-182, Franz Ferdinand, and Public Enemy, Jet, The National, Girl Talk, The Bravery, The Hold Steady, St. Vincent, Wale, and Taking Back Sunday, as well as dance tent favorites that include HOLY F*CK, Pete Tong, Danny Howells and Lee Burridge.

Continue reading "MD Virgin Mobile Fest returns in 2009 as a free event (lineup)"

"Live Nation is planning to open the area's largest general admission venue this summer as part of its Nikon at Jones Beach Theater complex, with Long Island's own Taking Back Sunday set to christen the new stage.

The Bay Stage, named for its location on Zach's Bay in Wantagh, will have a capacity of 5,000 and focus on big-name acts that prefer playing general admission shows and developing acts and package tours that are too big for New York ballrooms but not big enough for arenas, said Live Nation's Christian McKnight, who is spearheading the stage's launch.

"It's the right place to play for certain bands - bands who have wanted to come, but haven't been able to play Long Island," said McKnight. "It will fill a void."

The new venue, which is located on the other side of the concession area from the amphitheater, will operate on the amphitheater's off days and feature lower ticket prices. Live Nation will start with six shows this season and, depending on the audience response, will expand further next year." [Newsday]