photos by Chris La Putt

A very pregnant Allison Moorer joined Steve Earle for a few songs during her husband's two-hour acoustic show Friday night at the Society for Ethical Culture off Central Park West, a block from Lincoln Center.

The gig came during a brief respite back in their adoptive hometown, between legs of a tour promoting Earle's new album of compositions by his hero, the late Townes Van Zandt, whose songs he's now teaching to legions of new cultists.

Arguably America's greatest living songwriter laughed as he noted that "Townes" has become one of his best sellers, "which in a way is discouraging cause I didn't write any of the songs on it." [Borough 6]

David Broza (with help from guitarist G. E. Smith) opened the show and is playing again on Christmas Eve at 92Y. More pictures from the show with Steve's setlist, below...

Continue reading "Steve Earle & David Broza @ the New York Society For Ethical Culture in Manhattan - pics & setlist"

photos by Teppei

DOWNLOAD: Mono - "Ashes In The Snow" (MP3)

The show, held at the acoustically spectacular New York Society for Ethical Culture, opened with the premier of Arvo Part's Symphony No. 4. A beautiful piece given life by the Wordless Orchestra conducted by Jeff Milarsky. It set a calm scene. Essential for the performance Mono was about to lay down.

The quartet, backed by a condensed version of the orchestra, played an hour plus set that quite simply defied my greatest expectations. Their regular sound is already unusually instrumental for a rock band so the inclusion of an orchestra was seamless and, for lack of a better word, epic. The 800 plus die hard Mono fans that had lined up around the block to get in were clearly transcended by the event. They four band members put everything they had out there. At one point the lead guitarist was on his hands and knees while a die hard fan hovered near by. Its an interesting experience, witnessing other people experience what may very well be their live musical apex. Even for someone like myself ,who may not have had an abundance of Mono exposure, the music that was created Friday night left me appropriately wordless. [The World in a Paper Cup]

Mono played two tenth-anniversary shows with the Wordless Orchestra in NYC: one at New York Society for Ethical Culture on May 8th, and a second at (Le) Poisson Rouge on May 9th. That review, and the pictures in this post, are from the first.

Mono will tour Europe in July, and then return to North America in September for a nearly month-long string of shows with Maserati. Those will include NYC stops at Bowery Ballroom on September 28th and the Bell House on September 29th. Tickets for the Brooklyn show are on sale.

More pictures and all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Mono - 2009 tour dates w/ Maserati ++ Wordless show pics"

John Darnielle & John Vanderslice in Somerville, MA - March 25, 2009 (bradsearles)

KEXP: I hear you're also recording an album with John Darnielle?

John Vanderslice: Yes, we're doing a "comedian's record," and and that will be out by the time we go on tour in March.

KEXP: What does that mean? Will it be spoken word?

JV: Oh! No! sorry. (laughs) That's the band name [The Comedians]. It would be funny if it were an actual comedian's record, though it might be kind of disappointing, but John is very funny.

That interview was posted in early February, and I don't think John and John actually got the album out before the tour, but they have been performing songs from it at shows - including at the one they played on March 27th at the Society for Ethical Culture in NYC (part of the Wordless Music series). Check out the setlist below.

The Vanderslice/Mtn Goats tour continues through April 6th. John Vanderslice's new album Romanian Names will be released by Dead Oceans on May 19th, and that's right around the time JV will hit the road again, except this time with a full band:

The line up for the May [John Vanderslice] tour is:
JV: Guitar, Vocals
Ian Bjornstad: Wurlitzer, Moog
Matthias Bossi: Drums
Sylvain Carton: Guitar
James Riotto: Bass

All of the dates and details of that tour haven't been announced yet, but there will be a June 12th Brooklyn show at Music Hall of Williamsburg which will also be the BrooklynVegan showcase at the NorthSide Festival (more artists to be announced soon). $15 general admission tickets will go on sale this Friday at noon, and a certain amount of tickets will be reserved for Northside badge holders (details on that to also be announced soon).

A partial list of venues participating in the Northside Festival this year are Music Hall of Williamsburg, Europa, Studio B, Union Pool, Radegast Hall & Biergarten, Zebulon, Public Assembly, Monkeytown, Pete's Candy Store, Spike Hill, Glasslands, The Cameo, Brooklyn Bowl, Bar Matchless, The Knitting Factory, Rose Live Music, The Shank, Black Betty, Berry Park.

The Mountain Goats/Comedians' NYC setlist, some live videos, and all Vanderslice tour dates, below...

Continue reading "The Comedians (John Darnielle/Vanderslice) played NYC, JV playing BrooklynVegan Northside Fest show, other dates"

The Mountain Goats @ Webster Hall (more by Faith-Ann Young)

"We are going to light out for the Territories in a van with two acoustic guitars, some notebooks, our soundman Brandon and a pouch full of charms against ill omen. We are going to get elemental. We are going to stomp our feet and hammer at the strings until we get what we want from them. We, a couple of guys named John, are going to tour, is what we're going to do. We're going to stand alone onstage and play our guitars and sing old songs & new, and then we'll probably play together. We are going to sit side by side with our acoustic guitars like two out of the five guys on the Five Man Acoustical Jam album, only with fewer Tesla songs. Because the whole point of playing an acoustic guitar is not to unplug. It's to get raw and draw blood."
[John Darnielle aka The Mountain Goats]

"We" = The Mountain Goats and John Vanderslice. Primitive = "a night of amplified acoustic guitar & voice".

The Primitive tour kicks off on March 18th in Asheville, NC, and the NYC show will take place at the Society For Ethical Culture on March 27th. It's part of the Wordless Music Series. Tickets are on sale. John and John each also have some other interesting shows lined up between now and then...

Ten years ago John Vanderslice founded the Tiny Telephone recording studio in San Francisco, CA. To celebrate the occasion, John will be performing a show at the Great American Music Hall on January 30 with The Magik*Magik Orchestra in a 30-piece configuration. "Together they will pull favorite tunes from his catalog, and introduce new songs from a forthcoming album currently being recorded at Tiny Telephone." Special guest DJ Aesop Rock will spin records before and after the performance. All proceeds from the event will benefit Magik*Magik, the house Orchestra of Tiny Telephone.

The Mountain Goats are keeping busy before March comes too. First of all there's Ships & Dip V...

Barenaked Ladies and Sixthman are up to some more shenanigans! It's the real McCoy - Introducing Ships and Dip V, sailing through the Caribbean February 1-6, 2009. We're bringing you the goods again, in what's sure to be the craziest, zaniest time at sea!

Join Barenaked Ladies, Great Big Sea, The New Odds, Boothby Graffoe, The Weakerthans, and more bands to be announced throughout the year, as we set sail on the Norwegian Jewel for 5 days of revelry, recreation and boatloads of musical fun! With NCL's Freestyle Cruising, you won't get the bum's rush for doing exactly what you want! You can get dolled up, or keep it casual. With 12 restaurants and 11 bars and lounges to choose from, a luxurious spa, a full service casino, and plenty of other features, there won't be any trouble making your cruise experience the cat's pajamas. We set sail from Miami to NCL's private island of Great Stirrup Cay and Cozumel, Mexico- two great places to get some sun on those gams!

When you're not jiving to the amazing artists, relaxing by the pool or dining in one of the many hot spots on board, you can be sure to find tons of other activities to keep you on your toes!

Also on the boat will be Sarah McLachlan, Luke Doucet, Sloan, AND The Mountain Goats. Then on February 24th & 25th, The Mountain Goats have two shows scheduled in San Francisco, one of which is part of Noise Pop. All dates below...

Continue reading "the Mountain Goats & John Vanderslice: Gone Primitive (2009 Tour Dates), Ships & Dip & Tiny Telephone too"