Tom Petty & the Hearbreakers, who are playing Bonnaroo and other festivals this summer, have just announce they'll be coming to NYC for a five-night residency at Beacon Theatre: May 20, 21, 23, 25 and 26. Tickets will go on sale March 25 at 10 AM. Mark your calendars.

All Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers tour dates are below.

Continue reading "Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers doing 5 nights @ Beacon Theatre"

photos by David Andrako

Father John Misty / Andrew WK & Matt Sweeney

Petty Fest returned to NYC last night (10/24) at Webster Hall for a night of Tom Petty covers with a huge lineup of contributors backed by The Cabin Down Below Band. Cyndi Lauper, Fred Armisen, John McEnroe and Alia Shawkat were surprise guests. Nicole Atkins, Nick Zinner, and Josh Lattanzi teamed up for "Mary Jane's Last Dance," Father John Misty (who also played his second of two sold out shows in NYC last night and will be back at Webster Hall in January) did "Learning To Fly" and "I Won't Back Down," Har Mar Superstar did "Don't Do Me Like That," Andrew WK & Matt Sweeney did "Listen To Her Heart," Albert Hammond Jr. did "I Need To Know" (Fab played the show too), Caveman (who just played our day party and team up with Albert for a show again this Friday) did "Don't Come Around Here," plus a whole lot more.

More pictures from the Jameson-sponsored benefit show (all money went to Sweet Relief), and the setlist, below...

Continue reading "Petty Fest pics & setlist (Andrew WK, Father John Misty, Har Mar Superstar, Nick Zinner, Albert Hammond, Cyndi Lauper, more)"

We haven't completely compared what was announced a month ago, to what the current lineup is, but this is who is playing Petty Fest at Webster Hall Wednesday (10/24):

The Cabin Down Below Band
With Special Guest Stars: Karen Elson, Justin Townes Earle, Father John Misty, Adam Green, Nicole Atkins, Jesse Malin, Sammy James Jr. of Mooney Suzuki, Cory Chisel & Adriel Denae, Steve Schiltz of Hurricane Bells, Ryan Miller of Guster, Har Mar Superstar, Devendra Banhart, Johnny T, Andrew W.K., Matt Sweeney, Danny Clinch & The Tangiers Blues Band, Justin Long, Petter Ericson Stakee of Alberta Cross, Delta Spirit, Caveman, Mikki James, Jody Porter of Fountains Of Wayne and many many more surprise guests!

100% of Ticket Proceeds To Benefit Sweet Relief Music Fund & The Musicians Cancer Fund

Brought To You By The Best Fest, Makers of Dylan Fest & Stones Fest
Artists and line-up subject to change without notice

Petty Fest is returning to NYC this year on October 24 at Webster Hall for "A Night To Celebrate Tom Petty." Many of the usual suspects are lined up for this one, like Nicole Atkins, Jesse Malin, Sammy James Jr. (of The Mooney Suzuki), and others. In addition to that, we've got some other interesting additions like Father John Misty, Devendra Banhart, Matt Sweeney (of Chavez, Zwan, and others), Caveman, and Har Mar Superstar, who played last year's Petty Fest, is returning as well. Tickets for the show go on sale Friday (9/28) at noon. All proceeds will benefit Sweet Relief Music Fund & The Musician's Cancer Fund.

Father John Misty will be bringing his tour with La SeraJeffertitti's Nile to NYC around the same time, hitting Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 23 and Bowery Ballroom the same day as Petty Fest (10/24). The Bowery Ballroom show is sold out but tickets for MHOW are still available.

Devendra Banhart will also be in NYC around that time to support Swans at Bowery Ballroom on October 28 and Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 29. Tickets for those two shows are still available. Swans also play Bowery Ballroom on October 10 with A Hawk and A Hacksaw, but that one's sold out. Devendra also recently said in an interview, "I finished a record. It's going to be put out by Nonesuch Records. And I didn't know that until today actually. It's kind of my dream label. So I'm really happy about that."

A video of Har Mar Superstar doing "Refugee" at last year's Petty Fest and this year's full lineup are below.

Continue reading "Petty Fest returning to NYC in 2012"

As mentioned, Regina Spektor is releasing a new album titled What We Saw From the Cheap Seats, which is due out this May. The album's lead single, "All the Rowboats," which has some pretty huge drums, can be streamed below or downloaded from iTunes. That's the single's artwork above.

She's got some upcoming dates this spring with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. None of those are in NYC but she'll play her own show in the NYC area before the tour at Wellmont Theatre on April 10. Tickets for the Montclair, NJ show go on sale Friday (3/9) at noon.

Regina is also prepping a 7" for Record Store day where she'll be covering two Russian songs, "The Prayer of Francois VIllon" and "Old Jacket."

All dates and stream below...

Continue reading "Regina Spektor announces new LP & song, playing NJ before Tom Petty tour (dates)"

Arcade Fire @ Obama Staff Ball (more by Bao Nguyen)

A list of celebrities, reportedly created by Obama's campaign, sent out on December 5, and acquired by the Tennessean (PDF HERE), is being passed around the internet. The list, heavily populated with people who we already know support Obama, is supposedly a wishlist of people the Obama administration hopes to get public support from again in this upcoming election. Among the names on the list: Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, Wilco Regina Spektor, Janelle Monae, The Roots, Jay-Z, will.i.am, Jessica Alba, Laila Ali, Marc Anthony, India.Arie, Sara Bareilles, Jigga, Chelsea Clinton, George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell, Fergie, America Ferrera, Jamie Foxx, Whoopi Goldberg, Al Green, Josh Groban, Neil Patrick Harris, Anne Hathaway, Jack Johnson, the Jonas Brothers, Jewel, Mila Kunis, Blake Lively, Ricky Martin, "Glee" star Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker, Chris Pine, B.o.B, the Band Perry, Train, and Kate Walsh.

Speaking of Regina Spektor, who has played the White House, she has a benefit show coming up at Lincoln Center in NYC and is playing some shows with Tom Petty including one in Austin. All of her dates are listed below.

Speaking of Wilco, they're currently out on the road with White Denim who played a warm-up show at Hotel Vegas in Austin before leaving. All Wilco dates are listed below.

Speaking of Obama, he delivers a State of The Union speech this Tuesday.

Speaking of politicians, Stephen Colbert was spotted singing along at the Jeff Mangum show at BAM on Saturday night.

Continue reading "Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, Wilco Regina Spektor & others on Obama wishlist"

The above is a screenshot of Wikipedia today (except the page where you can learn more about SOPA and PIPA). The below Pete Holmes video explains this post's headline...

Continue reading "it's harder to find out where Tom Petty is from today"

Petty Fest is returning to NYC this October, though unlike previous years, this year there will be "Two Nights To Get Drunk And Celebrate The Songs Of Tom Petty." The fest is taking place October 5 at Music Hall of Williamsburg and October 6 at Bowery Ballroom. The fest is (almost) the same lineup of musicians that usually get together for things like this, like Norah Jones, Nicole Atkins, Jesse Malin, Sammy James Jr. (The Mooney Suzuki), Jody Porter (Fountains of Wayne), Tad Kubler of The Hold Steady, Josh Lattanzi of The Lemonheads, and others. Interesting additions inclue Har Mar Superstar and Jonny Corndawg. I hope they do a duet. And of course there will be "surprise guests". Tickets for both nights go on sale Thursday (9/1) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (8/31) at noon. $2 from each ticket will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.

Jonny Corndawg meanwhile will also be in NYC TONIGHT (8/30) for his record release show at Union Pool.

Full Petty Fest lineup, flier, and a recent video of Neko Case and My Morning Jacket covering "Stop Dragging My Heart Around" together, below...

Continue reading "Petty Fest returns in 2011, 2 nights, 2 venues"

DOWNLOAD: Dream Diary - Christmas All Over (MP3)

Dream Diary will release their debut LP, You Are The Beat Out, on February 15th via Kanine Records. The above free holiday cover will not be on that album, but Dream Diary will be at Kanine Records' Wear Your Favorite '90s-style Christmas Sweater Holiday Party at Shea Stadium tonight (12/3). Flyer reposted below...

Continue reading "Dream Diary covered Petty's 'Christmas All Over' (MP3) "

photos courtesy of WireImage/Tommy

Julian Casablancas of The Strokes being stylish

Billed as "A Night To Get Drunk And Celebrate Tom Petty's 60th Birthday!!!", the annual Petty Fest takes place at Bowery Ballroom on 10/28, and it includes essentially the same big group of musicians that keep getting together for these tribute shows to Petty and Dylan. This next one promises appearances from numerous performers including Adam Green (who just showed up at the final Dufus show), Norah Jones (I wonder if she'll sing with Belle and Sebastian at Williamsburg Waterfront tonight), Will Forte & Jason Sudeikis of Saturday Night Live, Nicole Atkins, Nikolai Fraiture, Catherine Pierce, Jesse Malin, Tyson Ritter of the All American Rejects, Reeve & Zane Carney, Jody Porter of Fountains Of Wayne, Sammy James of the Mooney Suzuki, Steve Schiltz of Hurricane Bells & Longwave, Antony Ellis of Five O'Clock Heroes, Mikki James, and Hymns. They wanted to have this in the Varvatos Store but he was booked already that night. I kid. Tickets are on sale for the 18+ show.

Speaking of Nikolai Fraiture, his band The Strokes (whose singer is pictured above) still don't have a new album out and still haven't played a proper NYC show, though they did play one on 9/12 for Tommy Hilfiger during Fashion Week this year.

Scale appeared to be the theme of the entire party, which was equal parts industry corporate, swanky, and of course - this is Tommy we're talking about - preppy. Outside, nearly 40 khaki-clad male models lined the dramatic red carpet, backlit by the designer's bright initials in shifting hues of red, white, and blue set against green grass. Inside, we lost count of the number of rolled-up pants with loafers, kind of like our inability to count the number of celebrities sipping champagne and snacking on lobster rolls: Mark Ruffalo, Ed Westwick, Russel Simmons, Kimora Lee Simmons, Neil Patrick Harris, Christina Hendricks, Kelly Osbourne, Jeremy Piven, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lopez.

...By the time The Strokes played their loud-as-hell set including hits "Last Night," "Someday," and "Reptilia," the crowd was ready to dance. Julian was in full form, sliding around in black stretch jeans and white shades, filling the atrium with powerhouse vocals.

A typically reserved crowd of A-list attendees broke out into a spontaneous dance party on the first-floor staircase, like a cross between The Stroke's best-looking fans and J.Crew's latest advertising campaign. After a supremely satisfying set of about eight songs, The Strokes walked off, thanking the crowd. -[Elle]

Continue reading "Petty Fest 2010 includes that same big group of artists, members of the Strokes (who played a fashion week show)"

photos by Vincent Cornelli

DOWNLOAD: Carl Broemel - "Heaven Knows" (MP3)

Carl of My Morning Jacket at Outside Lands

Jim James of My Morning Jacket said it himself during his band's opening set. We were all about to have a great time, he assured us, listening to the Heartbreakers. Not Tom Petty, or "Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers," as they were always billed in their '80s MTV videos. Just the Heartbreakers.

James may not have been trying to make a point, but a point was made nevertheless. Petty's combo has always been a collaborative project: a band in the truest sense, and often one of the most engaging, if not always the most creative, on the Billboard charts.

...My Morning Jacket continue to split the difference between polite college rock and proggy, Phish-like jam band lunacy. That makes them better than any college rock band, but not as fun as Phish. Jim James favors a rotating setlist, but at Izod Center, My Morning Jacket played most of their best-known material, including "I'm Amazed," the reggae-funk "Off The Record," and the guitar-heavy "One Big Holiday." The popular Louisville quintet isn't desperate for new fans, but they certainly made some last night.
-[NJ.com review from the Izod Center]

My Morning Jacket's Carl Broemel will play a solo show that night at Joe's Pub, showcasing material from his upcoming LP All Birds Say. Tickets are on sale. Order All Birds Say in multiple digital/vinyl/CD/T-Shirt configurations, and check out "Heaven Knows" available for download above.

My Morning Jacket (with Carl Broemel) also played the Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco on Saturday August 14th. Pics from that show adorn this post. More of them setlists, all dates, and some video recorded in a recent session with Carl Broemel below...

Continue reading "My Morning Jacket opened for Petty, played Outside Lands (pics); Carl Broemel releasing an LP, playing shows (dates) "

As previously mentioned, My Morning Jacket landed some opening slots on the current Tom Petty tour including August 24th in NJ (though not MSG). Tickets for the tour are currently on sale (some with no service fee).

My Morning Jacket now has new dates that include Canandaigua, NY (outside Rochester) on August 28th (tickets on sale Friday at noon) and Philly on August 29th. On those headlining dates "the guys will be donating $1 from each ticket to a local charity." All dates and the list of charities are below.

Before those, Jim James will be a part of the Appalachain Voices tour with Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore in July. That includes a July 30th show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets are on sale Friday.

You can also catch Yim Yames on May 26th performing with John Prine on Letterman. MMJ is among those who contributed to a new Prine tribute album entitled Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine. Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Gayngs, Deer Tick, Josh Ritter, Conor Oberst, Drive By Truckers, Those Darlins and others have tracks on the CD too.

The full tribute tracklist, a video of J Vernon covering Prine at the Haiti benefit @ MHOW, and all MMJ tour dates, below...

Continue reading "My Morning Jacket announce more tour dates, contribute to John Prine tribute CD"

Tickets for the the July (Madison Square Garden with Buddy Guy) and August (Izod Center with My Morning Jacket) Tom Petty shows are on sale (@ 10am).

My Morning Jacket...

My Morning Jacket will be opening for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at Izod Center on Tuesday, August 24th. Fanclub presale starts March 8th at 10am. Tickets through LiveNation go through a ton of presales, which start March 10th at 10am, before general sale, which starts March 15th at 10am.

It's just one stop in Tom Petty's full summer of shows with acts that include Joe Cocker, Drive-By Truckers, and Crosby, Stills and Nash. He'll also play Madison Square Garden on July 28th (opener TBA). Those go on Fanclub presale Monday, March 8th at 10am.

Tom Petty's new album, Mojo, comes out this spring; a track from it is streaming on his site.

MMJ's other shows include New Orleans Jazz Fest at the end of April and, like Massive Attack, Sasquatch Fest at the end of May.

All tour dates with openers are below...

Continue reading "Tom Petty tour openers include My Morning Jacket (in NJ, but not at MSG?), Drive By Truckers & more - 2010 dates"

photos by Tim Griffin

"I went to Pettyfest 2009 at Bowery Ballroom [Thursday] night, which was sick. Lots of drunk and stoned people shouting along to the hits and some great performers-- Nicole Atkins, Adam Green, Steve Schiltz, Antony Ellis, members of The Strokes and The Killers.

One of my favorite performances-- and this took me by surprise -- was the dude from Augustana singing "You Got Lucky." They're not a band I generally have a strong opinion about one way or another, but his voice was sick and he had a commanding presence-- like a subdued Mick Jagger with the wrist at the hips with a dash of Joe Cocker in the vocal tone." [EYTAN]

Continue reading "PettyFest @ Bowery Ballroom - setlist & pics (Adam Green, Strokes & Killers members, Nicole Atkins, Kid Rock, more)"

In the same vein as last year's Dylan Fest at the Mercury Lounge (and with much of the same cast), the Bowery Ballroom is hosting "Petty Fest" on Thursday, September 3rd. The opening band is The London Souls. A house band, called "Cabin Down Below Band," will be joined for the main act by guests that include Hymns, The Pierces, Jesse Malin, Adam Green, Matt Romano & Rodrigo Amarante of Little Joy, and Fabrizio Moretti of Little Joy/The Strokes. Tickets are on sale. Full lineup and flyer (and videos) below...

Continue reading "Petty Fest this week at Bowery Ballroom"

Rodrigo y Gabriela @ Sasquatch 2008 (more by Chris Graham)

"The multi-faceted, three-day festival will take place in San Francisco's historic Golden Gate Park on August 22 - 24, 2008. Radiohead, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Jack Johnson will headline the event. Tickets for the Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival are available for purchase at www.SFOutsidelands.com."

Beck, Manu Chao, Sharon Jones, Nellie McKay, and Rodrigo y Gabriela are a few of the other artists playing. All of them below....

Continue reading "Outside Lands Music Festival lineup - now w/ more artists"

photos by Eric M. Townsend

Early on in Tom Petty's sold-out Madison Square Garden gig last night he uttered words rarely heard at his shows: "You probably don't know this next one." The band then launched into the super obscure 1999 Europe-only B side "Sweet William." The bluesy, organ-heavy number was a clear indication this wasn't going to be the typical nothing-but-the-hits Petty show he's done on recent tours. With no new album to support, Petty was free to drag out the gems. [Rolling Stone]

Continue reading "Tom Petty & Steve Winwood @ MSG, NYC - pics"

photos by Ryan Muir

As expected, people started lining up early for the free Vampire Weekend show in Central Park on Saturday afternoon (June 14, 2008). As also expected, there was rain. Neither of those factors scared a significant amount of people away though. Vampire Weekend played to an extremely enthusiastic and packed house. Born Ruffians opened the 4 pm show. Then it rained. Then came Kid Sister. Vampire Weekend was last. Andrew W.K. hyped up the crowd between acts and later joined Vampire Weekend on stage on some songs including a cover of Tom Petty's "Don't Come Around Here No More". A video of that cover and more pictures of VW, WK, and the wet crowd, below...

Continue reading "Vampire Weekend, rain & Andrew WK @ Summerstage - pics"

The announcement that Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers would play halftime at today's Super Bowl XLII thrilled fans of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group but was greeted with grumbling in some quarters.

After three years of halftime shows dominated by long-in-the-tooth acts - Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones and Prince - some fans were hoping for an artist like Beyoncé, the Foo Fighters or Carrie Underwood to inject new energy.

But the National Football League has played it safe since Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" four years ago, and rock acts don't come much more dependable than the Grammy-winning Petty, 57, and his Florida-spawned band. [The Arizona Republic]

Continue reading "The Superbowl & other Tom Petty Tour Dates"

"Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will play the coveted halftime slot at the Super Bowl in Arizona on February 3, organizers of the year's No. 1 television event said on Sunday." [Yahoo]