by BBG

Andrew Elstner with Torche at MHoW (more by Justin Tyler)

You might know the name Andrew Elstner from his role as the recently added member of Torche, but before that Elstner was a part of another crew from his native St. Louis, TILTS. The stoner-y four piece definitely subscribe to a similar aesthetic as Torche - sugar-y pop masked under rumbling Orange woofers, but also steer close to things like Van Halen's party vibe or Queens of the Stone Age's sludge-pop.

TILTS are currently using Kickstarter to help pay for the master in order to prepare their debut LP for release on the venerable Robotic Empire. The band has met their goal, but you can still contribute to get anything from the digital LP to a free show. Head to their kickstarter for more details.

Perhaps inspired by the recent resurgence of Diamond Dave and the brothers, TILTS have released the new mastered track in "Hot for Pizza" (ahem) from their now-funded forthcoming LP on Robotic Empire. Stream that along with a good chunk of the band's recorded output below.

Reminder: Torche will hit the road for a string of dates with Corrosion of Conformity.

Van Halen recently announced 2012 tour dates (and a new song). Tickets for their MSG dates are currently on AMEX presale and go on regular sale Friday (tickets for 2/28 here and 3/1 here).

All tour dates and streams are below.

Continue reading "TILTS share a member with Torche, have a new LP on the way (listen to a new song)"

David takes a shot at Cafe Wha?

As promised, Van Halen (Eddie, Alex, Wolfie & David Lee Roth, but not Michael Anthony) played a super intimate show at Cafe Wha? in the West Village last night (1/5).

David said the last time he played a stage that low he had to get the car back before midnight. He said he was more nervous playing Cafe Wha?, where he can't hide, than any stadium ("no fake vocals at this show" he noted...). Part of that nervousness came from the fact that it was more than just a small, old, legendary venue where they chose to play a press-only show. It's also the club that David's uncle Manny Roth used to own, and Manny, now 92 years old, was in attendance. David mentioned he was 7 years old the first time he was there, but never got to play on that stage - "it was harder getting this gig than getting into the rock n' roll Hall of Fame," the rock star-turned EMT-turned rock star joked during one of his many monologues during the hour+ show. He talked about living on the LES, wanting to meet Lady Gaga, being an EMT in NYC, playing clubs in Southern California, and various other topics in between playing the hits (and one new song). Full setlist and some videos below.

Rolling Stone writes:

"It's like climbing into a rocket in here," David Lee Roth said as he stepped onto the matchbox-sized stage at New York's 250-capacity Cafe Wha? for Van Halen's first concert in four years. "It's a rocket that comes from way back into the past into what the future's going to look like. Welcome to Occupy Van Halen, ladies and gentlemen!"

With those words Eddie Van Halen kicked into the opening notes of "You Really Got Me" and the crowd -composed almost entirely of journalists and music industry insiders - went absolutely bonkers. Over the next hour, the group played a stunningly tight set of songs from their 1978 debut LP all the way through David Lee Roth's swan song, 1984. It was a show guaranteed to make any crowd go into a collective state of hysteria, but the happiest man in the house could have been Roth himself. Dressed in beige overalls and a Brian Johnson-style newsboy hat, the singer had an ear-to-ear grin on his face all night..

And it's a good thing they're getting along because they've just announced a pretty big tour that includes two NYC shows at Madison Square Garden. All of those dates and more information, also below...

Continue reading "Van Halen played Cafe Wha?, announce 2012 tour (including 2 nights @ MSG) -- setlist, video, pics & dates"

I spy a Dessner...

Three of last night's big events in NYC:
* Sharon Van Etten & Fred Armisen were on Fallon.
* Van Halen played Cafe Wha?. Jimmy Fallon was in the audience.
* Portlandia Season 2 had a premiere party at The Museum of Natural History. Fred Armisen was (obviously) in attendance.

Watch videos of Sharon and Fred (who also played music) on Fallon, including a Fred Armisen web exclusive, below...

Continue reading "Sharon Van Etten & Fred Armisen, who was partying in a museum, were on Jimmy Fallon who was at Van Halen"

UPDATE: It happened

As you may have read at the NY Times and elsewhere:

Van Halen has invited music writers and critics to an intimate concert at Cafe Wha? in Greenwich Village on Thursday night as a prelude to a tour with the band's classic lineup later this year. Nothing official has been released, but journalists have been told the group will play a short set. The one-night performance in that 250-seat club on MacDougal Street in Manhattan marks the latest enigmatic hint that the band has sent about its plans for the year.

In late December, the band released videos on its Web site showing the original frontman, David Lee Roth, as well as the brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen, rehearsing and goofing around while a ticker on the bottom of the screen read: "Van Halen on Tour 2012? and "First tickets on sale Jan. 10."

Continue reading "(still) reunited Van Halen playing Cafe Wha? tonight to promote 2012 tour"

Van Halen @ MSG, NYC - May 23, 2008 (JLBNYC)

It was a tumultuous ride that few expected would last, but the Van Halen sorta-reunion tour came to a close June 2nd in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In the end, the tour grossed $93 million and played to nearly a million fans over the course of 74 shows. In retrospect, it wasn't the ego or antics of David Lee Roth but Eddie Van Halen's pre-jaunt rehab stay and March health issues that nearly submarined the tour. The shows marked the first time that Roth fronted the band in 23 years (though without bass player Michael Anthony, the original lineup remains estranged since 1985), and VH's handlers say it was the most successful tour of the long-running group's career. [Rolling Stone]

It's May 23rd. That means Phil Selway is 41 years old, and that Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth will be returning to NYC this evening.

Posehn about to go on stage @ Mess With Texas 2008

Klaus didn't go see Brian Posehn at Comix last night because he (Klaus) came down with some laryngitis or something. Ironically, that is the same reason he (Brian) couldn't tell his jokes when he performed at the Mess With Texas Festival in Austin during SXSW a couple of weeks ago. The remedy: Brian whispered his (dirty) jokes in Eugene Mirman's ear and Eugene told them instead. It was sunny and warm out and the middle of the afternoon.

Tickets are still available for Brian's 3rd & 4th shows at Comix in NYC tonight (March 29) (late and inside). More photos from Austin below....

Continue reading "BRIAN POSEHN - @ Comix tonight ++ Mess with Texas pics"

Van Halen, 1980 (CRED)

Continue reading "Van Halen (w/ David Lee Roth) RESCHEDULED Tour Dates"

not surprisingly, the NY dates ARE now postponed too

Eddie Van Halen, 1978 (CRED)

LOS ANGELES, CA March 10, 2008 Seventeen concert dates on the Van Halen tour are being rescheduled so that Eddie Van Halen, who is currently under doctors' care, can continue medical tests to define a course of treatment. The tour will resume on April 19th.

The dates being rescheduled are:

Continue reading "Van Halen tour rescheduled until April 19th"

New York-area dates are safe for now

Van Halen in Tampa, FL - Feb 18, 2008 (CRED)

Continue reading "Van Halen tour not cancelled, but some shows postponed"

Sources tell TMZ the Van Halen tour has just been canceled!

We're told arrangements are being made right now to cancel hotel stays for the tour -- which was scheduled to continue through April 19th. Sources tell us the reason for the cancellation is Eddie -- that he is having "issues."

The last three shows had already been canceled. There have been reports that Eddie was out of it during concerts -- and video of recent performances in which his guitar playing was atrocious.

Reps could not be reached for comment. [TMZ]

Continue reading "Van Halen tour cancelled? (wasted? Eddie guitar solo video)"

DOWNLOAD: Brian Wilson - Heroes and Villains (MP3)

Fleisher, Scorcese, Diana Ross, Brian Wilson, Steve Martin & Bushs

Tickets go on sale this morning for the new Van Halen shows. A second Aretha Franklin show at Radio City goes on sale today too. Natalie Merchant is playing five nights at Hiro Ballroom.

Brian Wilson, Steven Martin, Martin Scorcese & George Bush? Weird, but true. Berkeley Place lists the top 10 political songs of 2007.

Upset you missed Van Halen's recent NYC-area appearances with David Lee Roth? Now you have a second chance. They're returning to Madison Square Garden on March 17th, and to the Izod Center in NJ four days earlier. Tickets for both shows go on sale Monday December 3rd @ 10am. They're also playing Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on March 28th, and those tickets go on sale Saturday. All tour dates below...

Continue reading "VAN HALEN add NYC shows & other 2008 Tour Dates"

David Lee Roth & Eddie Van Halen @ Nassau Colliseum - Nov 8, 2007 (CRED)

They really pulled it off, and they do it again tonight @ Madison Square Garden. Nassau Colliseum setlist below....

Continue reading "Van Halen played Nassau Colliseum, @ MSG TONIGHT"

* Halloween Parade
* Annuals @ Bowery Ballroom
* Ryan Adams & The Cardinals @ Hammerstein Ballroom
* Zap Mama @ Highline Ballroom
* Type O Negative & Lordi @ Starland Ballroom
* B-52's & The Rapture @ Roseland Ballroom
* Figurines & The Coathangers @ Mercury Lounge
* Black Crowes & Patti Smith @ United Palace
* Rasputina & Golem @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Antibalas @ SOB's
* Yeasayer & It Lives @ Shangri La
* The Police @ MSG
* Aids Wolf, Old Time Relijun, Aa, USAISAMONSTER @ Silent Barn
* Lightspeed Champion @ Sound Fix
* "Misfits" @ BB King's
* Ace Frehly @ Hard Rock Cafe
* White Williams @ The Annex
* Laugh
* Dance

There's too much going on tonight to list everything Halloween-related. What else?

And now that I'm moving right along like this, I think it's about time I list the David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen reunion tour dates (a disaster waiting to happen?)....

Continue reading "Van Halen (w/ David Lee Roth) - 2007 Tour Dates"