Now we really know what's going on. The CBGB Festival is happening July 5 - 8 at some 30 venues across the city, with over 300 bands participating, including the previously mentioned free Guided by Voices, Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and Cloud Nothings show at Summerstage (which now also includes The War on Drugs), the The Baseball Project and Craig Finn at City Winery, L.A. Guns at Highline, the Cro Mags, Sick of it All, Vision of Disorder, Absolution, and Sal Naim show at Webster Hall, and D Generation's Bowery Electric show. Newly added artists include Rocket from the Tombs, MEN, PS I Love You, Reggie Watts, Gary Lucas, Weekend, and more TBA. The full list of currently confirmed artists is below.

It's also a film festival with both new and classic rock films/docs, including the world premiere of The Rise and Fall of The Clash, plus American Hardcore, Color Me Obsessed: A Film About The Replacements, The Dead Boys - Live at CBGB/OMFUG 1977, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, Kurt Cobain About a Son, The Sacred Triangle: Bowie, Iggy & Lou 1971-1973 and more.

In addition, they've added a CMJ/SXSW-like music industry conference with panels/workshops concerning the music industry, independent artists, and a CBGB "Tales from the Club" panel each day. All conferences take place at the Sunshine Cinema and East Village Cinema. The festival also closes with the "distilled spirits fest" at Beekman Beer Garden on July 8.

There are variety of badges available too, from music and film showcase badges to one that get you into everything (or potentially at least...badges don't guarantee admission). The press release we got claims badges have been on sale since May 7 but this is the first we've heard about it. Regardless, early bird prices on music showcase badges is $69 and runs through May 31. It jumps to $79 if you buy before July 4 and walk-up badges once the fest starts are $89. Film fest badges are $99/$159/$219 for earlybird/regular/walk-up. You can also get a music conference badge which gains you entry to the showcases, workshops, and panels, and a music/film combo badge which gains you entry to all of that plus the film screenings. Full details on the vast array of CBGB Festival badge options are at their website. What this means to people who already bought tickets to individual shows already but want a badge too, we're not sure.

A list of all confirmed bands, films, conferences, and participating venues is below.

Continue reading "CBGB Festival announces details: badges, bands, films, industry conference, and booze"

What's better than getting a little sexy? Getting sexy for free at noon in the middle of Metrotech, BAM is guessing. That theory will be put to the test once again at the 2012 R&B Festival at Metrotech Commons, the annual, completely free and open to the public series going down throughout the summer. Kicking off on June 7th with a performance from the legendary Larry Graham and Graham Central Station, the party goes down every Thursday at noon until middle August and features appearances from Aloe Blacc, Fishbone, Blitz the Ambassador, The Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, Shemekia Copeland and NRBQ, Ky-Mani Marley, and more. Full shcedule is below.

The Orchestre Poly-Rythmo also play Central Park Summerstage while they're in town.

Aloe Blacc's appearance is one of THREE scheduled for NYC, including another free show at Lincoln Center on August 12th. He'll also be on hand to celebrate the late, great Curtis Mayfield on July 20th.

All Aloe Blacc dates, some video and the R&B Festival schedule, below....

Continue reading "2012 BAM R&B Fest schedule (free daytime shows in Brooklyn) (Fishbone, Aloe Blacc, Larry Graham, and more)"