The Black Crowes will record new, original material for an upcoming album during four sold-out concerts at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, New York, in February and March. This run of performances at the recording studio built decades ago by the 2008 Grammy winner and former drummer for the Band are being billed as "Cabin Fever Winter 2009." The shows on February 21, 22, 28 and March 1 sold out in less than two days.

"We're thrilled," Helm, who's not scheduled to perform, tells Rolling Stone. "It kind of shows me that we're doing things right." Over the last few years Helm has staged "Midnight Ramble" house concerts at the studio -- Saturday night performances Rolling Stone named Best Jam Session that feature special guests sitting in with the Levon Helm Band... [Rolling Stone]

Levon Helm (and band) is playing the Beacon Theatre in NYC on March 5th & 6th. Tickets go on Concertmaps presale Wednesday at 10AM. Tickets go on Ticketmaster Am Ex & "Venue" presale two hours after that, and then finally on regular sale Saturday at 10AM.

The Levon Helm Band is also playing Wellmont Theatre in Jersey on February 7th. All dates, including a bunch of Rambles, below...

Continue reading "Levon Helm - 2009 Tour Dates (Beacon Theatre) (presale)"

....before reviewing the CD

Maxim magazine has apologized for publishing a negative review of the Black Crowes' new album by a writer who hadn't listened to the whole CD.

The review in Maxim's March issue gives the Crowes' "Warpaint" a rating of two-and-a-half stars out of five. The band posted an exasperated statement on its Web site last week saying the Maxim writer hadn't heard the entire album because advance copies weren't available. The Crowes' manager, Pete Angelus, said the magazine explained that its review was an "educated guess." [Yahoo]

For the first time in their 18-year career, THE BLACK CROWES will perform an album of theirs in its entirety. On a special run of "One Night Only" shows beginning March 2 and wrapping March 20, fans will experience WARPAINT--the group's first album of all new studio material in seven years, due out March 4 -- in its entirety onstage, after which the band will perform songs from their catalog and selected surprises.

Dates & stuff below....

Continue reading "THE BLACK CROWES playing SXSW & Irving Plaza - new album & other 2008 tour dates"