photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

The Hives @ Irving Plaza

While on tour with Pink (which included a MSG show on Friday [3/22]), The Hives stopped in NYC for their own headlining sold out gig last night (3/24) at Irving Plaza. It was a crazy show, and doubled as a celebration of The Hives' 20th year as a band. With a horn section and backup singers (including special guest Paloma Faith), they ripped through career-spanning favorites and also did a bunch off of 2012's Lex Hives. Livids opened the show.

More pictures and videos from Irving Plaza are below...

Continue reading "The Hives played Irving Plaza w/ Livids (pics, videos)"

The Hives at the Studio at Webster Hall in 2012 (more by Ryan Muir)

If you're still scratching your head about The Hives touring with Pink and aren't trying to see them open for a pop star in a big arena, you're in luck. The band just added their own, smaller NYC show which will happen on March 24 at Irving Plaza, in between their shows with Pink at MSG (3/22), Izod Center (3/23), and Nassau Coliseum (3/25). Tickets for the Irving Plaza show go on sale Friday (2/8) at 10 AM. If you buy tickets, you'll be automatically entered into a contest to spend the day with The Hives at their soundcheck. 1200 tickets are going on sale and 100 winners will be selected for the contest.

A couple videos and an updated list of dates below...

Continue reading "The Hives playing Irving Plaza during Pink tour (updated dates)"

Best Coast at Terminal 5 (more by Chris La Putt)

As mentioned earlier today in a tickets-on-sale post, Best Coast, who were initially supposed to open for Green Day on the latter's tour before it was postponed, are in fact opening for them on their rescheduled dates which include a NYC show on April 7 at Barclays Center. Tickets for that show are are on sale now and all tickets purchased for the original date (1/16) will be honored. All dates are listed below.

Speaking of artists that would probably be better fit to headline Terminal 5 but are opening in big arenas for pop stars, Miguel was announced to open for Alicia Keys on her tour which hits NYC on April 5 at Barclays Center and April 11 on Madison Square Garden. Tickets for those shows are not on sale yet but you can check ticketmaster for updates. All dates are listed below.

And one more: The Hives are touring in February and March as an opening act for Pink and that tour hits Madison Square Garden on March 22. That show is sold out, but the tour also hits Izod Center (3/23) in NJ and Nassau Coliseum (3/25) in Long Island and tickets for those shows are still available. All dates are listed below.

In related news, bands who you would think might be opening for bigger acts at Madison Square Garden, but are actually the headliners themselves include Sigur Ros (3/25) and Passion Pit (2/8). We're not sure who is opening for Sigur Ros, if anyone, but Matt & Kim open for Passion Pit. Muse also has two MSG shows coming up (as does Lady Gaga). Mumford and Sons also have two upcoming Barclays Center shows, one with The Felice Brothers, the other with Haim (both with Ben Howard).

All lists of dates below...

Continue reading "Best Coast touring w/ Green Day, Miguel touring w/ Alicia Keys, The Hives touring w/ Pink (dates)"

photos by Ryan Muir

Guns N Roses at Webster Hall

Photographer Ryan Muir is the latest of our uber-talented contributors to drop off his favorite photos that he took in 2012, leaving us with shots of Guns n Roses, The Hives, Purity Ring and much more.

His set of favorite contributions joins fellow photographers Caroline Harrison, Dominick Mastrangelo, Dana (distortion) Yavin, Amanda Hatfield, David Andrako, Jessica Amaya, Fred Pessaro // BBG, and Chris La Putt.

Check out the rest of Ryan's favorite pictures below.

Continue reading "Ryan Muir's favorite Live Music Photos of 2012 (that he took) "

photos by Chris La Putt

Swimmers for the annual Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge

Longtime BV contributor Chris La Putt weighed in on his favorite photos that he took in 2012, dropping off the following, unnumbered list. La Putt joins the list of BV photographers Dominick Mastrangelo, Dana (distortion) Yavin, Amanda Hatfield, David Andrako, Jessica Amaya , Caroline Harrison, and Fred Pessaro // BBG who have all weighed in on their favorite photos of 2012.

La Putt's year in pictures and favorite songs of 2012 is below.

Continue reading "Chris La Putt's favorite photos of 2012 (that he took) (his favorite songs too)"

Ian O'Neil of Deer Tick @ Carnegie Hall (more by Chris La Putt)

Deer Tick's three-week Brooklyn Bowl residency begins TONIGHT (12/5). As mentioned, they'll be performng different albums and EPs in full at the three shows. Unfortunately no War Elephant (which they recently performed at a Newport Folk Fest afterparty), but we will get:

12.05.12 Born on Flag Day + More Fuel for the Fire EP
12.12.12 The Black Dirt Sessions + Holy Shit it's Christmas EP
12.19.12 Divine Providence + Tim EP

Ian O'Neil, like many of our favorite artists before him, told us what his favorite albums of 2012 were. His list includes his recent tour-mates Turbo Fruits, his old band Titus Andronicus (who headlined Webster Hall this week), and legends Neil Young & Crazy Horse (who played Barclays Center this week). Check it out in full below...

Continue reading "Ian O'Neil names his Top 10 of 2012; Deer Tick kick off full-album residency (Ian opens & headlines all of them)"

Morrissey @ Terminal 5 10/13/2012

We've already published Amanda Hatfield and Fred Pessaro // BBG's favorite photos that they took in 2012 and here's the list from BV photographer Dana [distortion] Yavin. While she's still got a month worth of shooting to do, here's her current favorite photos from this year that she herself shot, #1 being Moz at Terminal 5. (And if you're in Miami for Art Basel, you can check out her photo show.) The rest of her picks are below.

Continue reading "Dana (distortion) Yavin's 12 favorite Live Music Photos of 2012 ---------(that she took)"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

Run DMC / Pearl Jam / Drake at Made in America Fest 9/3/2012

A Run DMC reunion was one of the many highlights of the second day of the Jay-Z presented Made in America Festival which happened in Philadelphia over Labor Day Weekend. Monday's show also featured Pearl Jam, Drake, X, The Hives and others. Jay-Z joined Pearl Jam during their set for a performance of "99 Problems".

Pictures from day 1 are HERE and more pics from day 2 are below (along with Run DMC's setlist).

Continue reading "Made in America Fest: day 2 in pics (Run DMC, Pearl Jam, X, Santigold, Drake, The Hives, Jill Scott and more)"

Gary Clark Jr. at Coachella 2012 (more by David Andrako)

As mentioned, Philly's Made In America Festival goes down this weekend (9/1 - 9/2) on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Since we last spoke, the lineup was expanded and now includes Drake (who was rumored but not on the initial lineup announcement), Jill Scott, Chris Cornell, The Hives, and Run DMC, who are all playing the second day (9/2), in addition to blues guitarist Gary Clark Jr., who will be on the only performer on the bill playing both days, and others. Day 1 (9/1) will be headlined by festival head Jay-Z, and also includes Skrillex, Passion Pit, D'Angelo, Dirty Projectors, Janelle Monae, and others, and day 2 (9/2) will be headlined by Pearl Jam and also includes Odd Future, X, Santigold, and others. Tickets for the festival are still available.

If you're going to the fest, Philly is only about a two hour drive from NYC and this FAQ should help you find your way over (for directions use the address of Ben Franklin Parkway at Eakins Oval in Philadelphia or the Philadelphia Museum of Art). Once you're there, that FAQ will also help you find your way around, parking tips, and more. There will be a free filtered water service at the festival site, but you can't bring glowsticks (sorry Skrillex fans).

A #MadeInAmerica video for Gary Clark Jr. and the lineup for the festival are below.

Continue reading "Jay-Z's Made In America Festival is this weekend; Gary Clark Jr. playing both nights (full lineup, directions & more)"

The Hives at The Studio at Webster Hall (more by Keith Marlowe)

The Hives are on tour and take on Terminal 5 tonight (6/22) (with Fidlar), and just in time the band has dropped a new live version of "Go Right Ahead". The track, culled from the new Adult Swim Singles series which is releasing 12 new tracks, 1 a week (UMO was first. Hives is second), can be heard below (for the very first time), and in its original form on the band's latest LP Lex Hives.

Continue reading "The Hives are back & with live 'Go Right Ahead' track (stream)"

The 2012 edition of MusicFestNW takes place in September 5 - 9 at 18 venues in Portland, OR and will feature performances from over 150 bands, including Passion Pit, Hot Snakes, Girl Talk, Danny Brown, Beirut Silversun Pickups, Dinosaur Jr. and Sebadoh, many more.

In addition to those previously announced artists, MFNW has just added The Hives, Flying Lotus, Wild Nothing, DIIV, Quasi, Moon Duo, My Goodness, DZ Deathrays, and Strand Of Oaks to the already impressive line-up. Wristbands, available various levels and packages, and tickets to individual shows are on sale now. Check out the complete MFNW lineup below.

Continue reading "MusicFestNW 2012 lineup expands (The Hives, Flying Lotus, Quasi, DIIV, Passion Pit, Hot Snakes, Beirut, Swans & many more)"

photos by Ryan Muir & Keith Marlowe words by Andrew Sacher

The Hives at the Studio at Webster Hall - 4/26/12

As mentioned, The Hives are set to kick off a North American tour next month which comes to NYC for the previously discussed show at Terminal 5 on June 22. Since we last spoke, it was announced that the Swedish band will be joined on the tour by two younger bands following in their footsteps of raunchy garage rock; LA's FIDLAR and Austin's Flesh Lights. Tickets for the NYC show are still available.

The Hives' new album, Lex Hives, comes out next week (6/5) but you can hear it ahead of its release in full at the bottom of this post. It's the band's first release since 2007's The Black and White Album and if you're wondering if they used that 5-year break to expand their sound... well they haven't at all. But that doesn't mean Lex Hives isn't fun as hell. "Come On!," which opens the album and most of their recent shows, jump-starts the band into the frenzy they've become known for with mile-a-minute instant sing-alongs.

Previously released singles like "Go Right Ahead" and "Wait A MInute" with their three-word choruses hold up great against some of the album's deeper cuts like "Patrolling Days," "Take Back the Toys," and "My Time is Coming," which are arguably better than the lead tracks. After a few listens you'll forget that you haven't known these songs since The Hives' early days.

Last month, when The Hives were in North America for Coachella, they stopped by NYC for a tiny sweaty show at The Studio before heading back overseas. A belated set of pics from that show, along with the Lex Hives album stream and a list of updated dates are below.

Continue reading "The Hives streaming new album; FIDLAR & Flesh Lights join tour (updated dates) +++ belated pics from Studio show"

words by Andrew Sacher, photos by Chris La Putt

It's needless to say that The Hives' tiny show at The Studio at Webster Hall last night (4/26) was a wild, packed, sweaty party. It only took about a song and a half for Pelle to hang from the venue's lighting fixture and for his brother/guitarist Nicholaus Arson to end up on top of the crowd. The band, known for their matching black and white attire, were decked out in tuxedos and top hats like they were at Coachella and other recent dates. Pelle and his bandmates were in their usual on-stage state of extremely high cheeky arrogance, complete with demanding that the crowd make more and more noise and answer "YEAH!" to any question asked. He dropped lines like, "This stage is not big enough for my ego!" Like many other garage rock revivalists of the early-mid aughts, The Hives have been playing much larger venues like Terminal 5, where they'll play on June 22, so of course it was great to see them in a venue closer in size to the one their genre implies. (Terminal 5 tix on sale at noon)

The band's set, which was about an hour long, included a fair amount of material off their new record, Lex Hives, which is due out on June 5, in addition to old favorites including "Walk idiot Walk," "Main Offender," and show highlight "Hate To Say I Told You So." The show was filled with nonstop on and off stage dancing and tons of interaction between the band and crowd. The Hives left the stage after an initial twelve song set which felt way too short (but I guess that's what happens when the bulk of your songs are under 3 minutes) and finally returned for a two-song encore which kicked off with Lex Hives lead single "Go Right Ahead". They then ended their set with a drawn out version of "Tick Tick Boom" off 2007's The Black and White Album. On what you thought was the final "tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, boom" the band literally paused, holding statue-like poses for at least a minute until the bass was finally brought back in and Pelle commanded the crowd to form an aisle which he walked down only to be, per his own instructions, completely swarmed when the song started up again as he rushed back to the stage.

More pictures and setlist from the show, and details on how you can win a pair of tickets to Terminal 5 (we have three to give away), below...

Continue reading "The Hives played The Studio (pics & setlist); win tix to Terminal 5 (which is on sale today)"

Pelle from the Hives practices his high jump @ Coachella 2012 (more by David Andrako)

After playing twice at Coachella, The Hives are stopping in NYC for a tiny show at The Studio at Webster Hall on Thursday (4/26) before heading back overseas. Tickets for the studio show sold out very quickly, but we're happy to say that we got our hands on a few more pairs, so we're giving away three more pairs of tickets in addition to the ten pairs we gave away to contest winners last week. Details on how to enter to win tickets are below.

If you weren't able to score tickets to the Studio show, you'll probably have an easier chance of grabbing some when The Hives return to the US for a string of East Coast dates in late June, including another stop in NYC at Terminal 5 on June 22nd. Tickets go on AMEX AND fan presale at noon on 4/25 (fan presale password = "lexhives") (sound familiar?) and regular sale on Friday (4/27) at noon.

In other news, The Hives appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night (4/24 at midnight), and you can check out the band performing their new songs "Go Right Ahead" and Wait A Minute" from their forthcoming Lex Hives below alongside all tour dates and contest details....

Continue reading "The Hives played Kimmel, announce tour (dates, video & more chances to WIN TIX to The Studio show)"

photos by David Andrako

Wild Flag's Carrie Brownstein & the Hives @ Coachella Sunday - 4/22/2012

"The second weekend brought record heat. Festival-goers jockeyed for patches of grass around the shaded perimeters. They pounded frozen lemonade at $6 a cup.

"It feels like a different world from last weekend," The Shins frontman James Mercer said. "It was Iceland last week."

While the weather forced some practical fashion choices, Coachella's sartorial influence was noted well beyond Indio. Joan Rivers and Kelly Osbourne debated Coachella-inspired fashion trends, and the wider cultural significance of the festival, on the E! Channel program, "The Fashion Police."

Osbourne, a Coachella regular, proclaimed, "When you go to Coachella, all the girls are half-naked and 22." Rivers, who joked that she goes to Coachella, too, quipped, "If David Hasselhoff was there, this means officially Coachella is no longer cool."" [MYDesert.com]

After DJing a party on Friday night and headlining with his band Radiohead on Saturday, Thom Yorke kept busy on Sunday by DJing a Rolling Stone pool party with Nigel Godrich, and then showing up as a not-so-surprise, special guest during Modeselektor's Sunday night set in the Mojave tent while Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg headlined the main Coachella stage.

Modeselektor (pre-Thom) @ Coachella Sunday - 4/22/2012

You saw pictures from Friday and Saturday, all of last week, and of Dre & Snoop from yesterday (Sunday, 4/22/12). Here are the rest from yesterday, Coachella 2012's final day. More below...

Continue reading "Coachella 2012 Week 2 - Day 3 pics (Modeselektor, Hives, Wild Flag, At the Drive-In, Le Butcherettes, Gotye, Beirut, more)"

The Hives @ Coachella 2012 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

We could keep giving clues, but at this point many more than 10 people got it right, so the contest is over anyway. Winners have not been notified yet, but will be shortly. Meanwhile, TICKETS for the show The Studio at Webster Hall on April 26 will go on PRE-SALE at 6pm EST. The password is lexhives. will be posted shortly right HERE: _____. A general sale (with more tickets) will then begin at 8pm EST. 2 ticket limit per person. Will call only. Good luck and thanks for playing!

The Hives @ Coachella 2012 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Swedish rock band The Hives are getting ready to release a new album called Lex Hives on June 5, You can stream the first single at Rolling Stone and pick up the song as a 7" this Saturday in honor of Record Store Day.

Meanwhile the well-dressed quintet continue to make large crowds of adoring fans happy, as was evidenced by their 6pm Sunday set at Coachella over the weekend, and as will probably be evidenced by their 6pm Sunday set at Coachella this coming weekend, and as will definitely be evidenced at a special, intimate show in NYC on April 26 (except the crowd won't be that big at that one).

Where is this NYC show? I can't tell you yet, but you can guess. And to help you guess, we'll be providing new clues right here in this post thoughout the day. The first 10 people to correctly figure out the location will win a pair of tickets to the performance. If don't win, don't fret yet, as there will also be a limited number of tickets put on sale to the general public on Friday THIS EVENING (stay tuned for details).

UPDATE: You probably guessed it by now! Game over. Venue and ticket details HERE.

The clues and instructions on how to enter, below...

Continue reading "The Hives are playing a small NYC show after Coachella (guess where it is to win tickets!)"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

dolphin rider / Wild Flag / At the Drive-In

"Weekend one of Coachella 2012 not only confirmed rock fans' rabid appetite for live music but reminded the music industry that the past is a lot closer than it used to be. There were no rock acts from the 1960s or early '70s on the bill. The look back was dedicated to Coachella's continuing affection for reuniting British bands from the late '70s and early '80s--this year, it was Buzzcocks, James, Madness, Pulp and Squeeze. Other reuniting bands on the bill included American alt-rock bands Firehose, Mazzy Star and At the Drive-In; and Refused, a punk group from Sweden that hadn't been heard from since 1998. One could argue that the "appearance" by the late Shakur was an admission that to become a musical force again, West Coast rap needs a resurrection. Though the beats conceived and developed by Dr. Dre, Shakur, Snoop Dogg and others are now woven into rock and pop's vocabulary, rap had little presence at Coachella 2012, save for the ingenuity of the late Sunday-night oldies show.

And if there was any doubt that electronic dance music is a dominating force, even if it's still underappreciated by the mainstream, Swedish House Mafia and Justice played the main stage. The big tent dedicated to dance music was rarely less than filled to a boisterous overflow." [Wall Street Journal]

You already saw pictures from Friday and Saturday, video of an idiot falling off a wooden structure, watched Frank Ocean's set, and Azealia Banks's. The Weeknd's too. You saw Refused's setlist and some videos. You already know what At The Drive-In played on Sunday, and streamed their set in full after you were done watching Real Estate's and M83's, not to mention parts of Bon Iver's and Andrew Bird's. You're already well aware that Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg and many special guests headlined on Sunday, and you even saw the pictures of them and watched the Tupac hologram video. Now here are the rest of the Sunday pictures, and they continue, below....

Continue reading "Coachella 2012 Day 3 pics -- ATDI, Wild Flag, Justice, Hives, Weeknd, Fitz, Company Flow, Florence & the Machine & more)"

Radiohead @ Roseland Ballroom in 2011 (more by Bao Nguyen)

Coachella which is taking place over the course of two weekends this year (April 13-15 and 20-22) revealed their 2012 lineup. Last week, Azealia Banks was the first artist confirmed, and earlier today they confirmed The Weeknd (maybe he found a band?), and before that, Jimmy Cliff, Breakbot, and Housse De Racket. The reunited Pulp then announced itself. The full lineup also includes headliners The Black Keys, Radiohead, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, not to mention, as predicted, the reunited At the Drive In and the reunited Mazzy Star (!), and Madness and Refused (!) and Jeff Mangum and many, many more that you can see below...

Continue reading "Coachella 2012 lineup announced (two weekends worth)"

By Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Le Loup - "Shenandoah" (MP3) (on Amnesty comp)
DOWNLOAD: Joan Jett & the Blackhearts & guests - Silent Night (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Deer Tracks - Christmas Fire (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Twiggy Frostbite - Bells & Chimes (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Emotron - Santa Claus (I Still Believe In You) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: (Savanteous Q Malmsteen) - What Do You Get A Wookie for Christmas
DOWNLOAD: The Revelations - It's That Time Of Year (MP3)

With holiday mixes in the air, Amnesty International has released I'll Stay 'Til After Christmas, a benefit comp featuring No Kids, Blitzen Trapper, Parentheitcal Girls, Sally Shapiro, and more (full tracklist below).

Then there's the free all-Swedish Xmas mix up at Swedes Please. Among the songs posted is the new duet between The Hives and Cyndi Lauper, "A Christmas Duel," video below (or buy the song on iTunes).

Speaking of Cyndi and good causes, True Colors is auctioning off a chance to hang out with the Best Electronic/Dance Album nominee as part of its first annual online charity auction to benefit GLBT equality groups the True Colors Fund, CenterLink, and Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).

The package includes "1-hour voice lesson, plus lunch, with Cyndi Lauper, in NYC. 2 roundtrip domestic coach tickets on American Airlines and a 2-night stay at Hotel on Rivington included." It's currently going for $4,000. Full list of items on auction here.

And speaking of Christmas music and female 80's icons that have toured for True Colors...

"Blackheart Records, the rock label Joan Jett started over 25 years ago, has released its holiday compilation record, and it's available at the iTunes store. The 11-song digital album features rocked-out holiday standards and originals recorded by Jett and Blackheart bands including Girl in a Coma, The Dollyrots, The Cute Lepers and more."

Also for download up there is a selection of holiday MP3's from the inbox.

Other Christmas album options this year include new ones by Sufjan's friend Rosie Thomas and Neutral Milk Hotel's Julian Koster, and one by The Raveonettes. For a Christmas show, check out the always fun McGarrigle Christmas Hour this Wednesday night at Carnegie Hall. Guests this year include Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Emmylou Harris and Justin Bond.

Videos (including one by Glasvegas) and tracklists below...

Continue reading "more Christmas songs & comps & charities - the Hives, Joan Jett, Cyndi Lauper, Sweden, No Kids, Glasvegas & more"

Continue reading "Eagles of Death Metal - new record, 2008 Tour Dates"

photos by Chris Graham

Michael Showalter & the gorge, Sasquatch 2008

Michael Showalter was at Sasquatch last year too. More pictures from Monday (day three of Sasquatch) below....

Continue reading "Sasquatch 2008 - day 3 in pictures (Monday May 26)"

photos by Bao Nguyen

Continue reading "The Hives @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, NYC - pics "

You've got the Hives from Sweden who recently played Webster Hall, and then announced a show at Terminal 5 with the Donnas on March 7th, and who then just went ahead and announced they're also playing Music Hall of Williamsburg one day earlier (on sale 2/5 at 12pm). And then you've got The Vines from Australia, who, like at the same moment, announced they were playing Bowery Ballroom on March 17th, and I always get them confused (their names at least). All dates below...

Continue reading "The Hives vs The Vines - 2008 Tour Dates (& The Donnas)"

The Hives are returning to the United States soon. They'll play Terminal 5 in NYC on March 7th with The Donnas. Tickets go on sale Friday at noon. All dates below...

Continue reading "The Hives - 2008 Tour Dates"