Levon Helm at Summerstage, July 2011 (more by Chris La Putt)

The great Levon Helm will be paid tribute on 11/19 at Hill Country (30 w26th St, Manhattan), when Catherine Popper (of Levon Helm/Jack White/Ryan Adams/Grace Potter's bands) will assemble Puss 'n Boots (which probably means Norah Jones) to lead a benefit at the venue. Levon's charity 'Keep It Going!' will be the receipient of the proceeds, a charity designed to keep Midnight Ramble, the studio and associated properties up and running. Joining Popper will be performances from Suzanna Choffel, Fredro Perry, The Cheating Hearts, and Bug & Bru (of The Defibulators). $20 gets you in.

This isn't the first time that a member of Grace Potter's band has been involved in a benefit; the frontwoman herself performed at a Levon Helm tribute show in early October.

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals meanwhile, who just hit Austin, play a pair of NYC shows this week starting at Beacon Theater, tonight, 11/16 (tickets) and again tomorrow, 11/17 (tickets).

Meanwhile check out pictures from the Austin show.

Darcy James Argue's Secret Society live @ LE POISSON ROUGE - 15 JULY 2009

1) MP3: Zeno
Solo: Ryan Keberle, trombone

2) MP3: Flux in a Box
Solos: Ben Kono, alto sax; Mike Holober, piano

3) MP3: Hard Up on the Down Low
Solo: Ingrid Jensen, trumpet & electronics

4) MP3: Jacobin Club
Solos: Sam Sadigursky, tenor sax & Mike Fahie, trombone

5) MP3: Ferromagnetic
Solo: Nadje Noordhuis, trumpet

6) MP3: Obsidian Flow
Solo: Erica vonKleist, alto sax

ENCORE
7) MP3: The Perils of Empire
DOWNLOAD ALL (ZIP ARCHIVE)

The New Languages Fest, which runs for six nights over two weekends at the former Shank (now "McCarren Hall"), begins with Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, House of Mirrors and The Respect Sextet. Grab a full, recent live set from Darcy James for free MP3 download above.

The Brooklyn Country Music Festival also kicks off tonight at Southpaw (where it runs through Saturday) with sets from The Defibulators, Sammo, Alana Amram & The Rough Gems and more. A Defibulators video below...

Continue reading "New Languages & Country Music fests kick off in Brooklyn"

The Sixth Annual Brooklyn Country Music Festival will be hosting local country acts for three days (September 17-19) at Brooklyn's Southpaw. Headliners include The Defibulators on Thursday, The Woes on Friday and Alex Battles & the Whisky Rebellion on Saturday. Three-day passes as well as tickets for the Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows are on sale.

the day-by-day lineup, with a pair of videos from returning acts Alex Battles (the Fest's founder who earlier this year put out a live record that's free online) and the Defibulators, below...

Continue reading "Brooklyn Country Music Festival @ Southpaw (Sept. 17-19)"

Although I can't endorse the BBQ aspect of this thing, there's no denying that this looks like a great lineup of free music at Madison Square Park in NYC this weekend...

Saturday, June 7
1:00PM - 2:15PM THE DEFIBULATORS
2:45PM - 4:00PM THE SWEET DIVINES
4:30PM - 5:45PM THE WILD MAGNOLIAS

Sunday, June 8
1:00PM - 2:15PM ALEX BATTLES & THE WHISKEY REBELLION
2:45PM - 4:00PM ELI "PAPER BOY" REED & THE TRUE LOVES
4:30PM - 5:45PM THE SADIES

Check out the rest of the free shows happening in Madison Square Park this summer (and even more NYC free shows listed HERE).

Video of Eli Reed below....

Continue reading "free music @ the Big Apple BBQ in NYC this weekend "