photos by Chris La Putt

St Vincent played five songs and then signed autographs at tonight's in-store at the Virgin Megastore in Union Square. Her new album, Actor, was also released today (5/5). More pictures from the closing-store show below...

Continue reading "St Vincent @ the closing Union Square Virgin Store, NYC -pics "

I wanted to say St. Vincent's free show at the Virgin Megastore on Tuesday (5/5) would be the last in-store in the closing store, but I found at least one more happening later (Suicide City).

PREVIOUSLY
* St. Vincent playing All Points West
* ALL Virgin Megastores to close by June
* new St. Vincent album out May 5th
* St. Vincent releases new video
* St Vincent - new MP3 & 2009 Tour Dates (Webster Hall)
* St Vincent makes a cameo appearance @ Dark Was The Night concert

With CD sales sliding, "I tried my hardest to come up with a new model, and we were making a lot of headway with it before the holidays," said Virgin Entertainment Group North America CEO Simon Wright.

Virgin outlasted HMV and W.H. Smith, with the former pulling out in 2004 and the latter selling out to Camelot Music in 1998. But Virgin couldn't withstand the combined blows of big-box loss leaders, chain-store exclusive releases and digital cannibalization.

"We have made a great contribution to music retailing, but it's time to move on," Wright said. [Billboard]

Circuit City / Virgin (pic via Racked)

"And then there were three.

The Virgin Megastore music chain will close its Union Square location in New York City at the end of May and its Market Street store in San Francisco at the end of April, sources say. The company previously announced that its Times Square store would close in April.

In August 2007, the Virgin Entertainment Group North America was acquired by two real estate companies -- the Related Cos. and Vornado. Since then, the chain has been reduced from 11 units -- with the industry awaiting word of the fate of the three remaining stores in Denver, Los Angeles, and Orlando"
[MSNBC/Billboard/Reuters] (thx rob & liz)

by Klaus Kinski

For me, there are two consistent things happening with SNL lately (and by lately I mean the past several years). First, it rarely makes me laugh. Second, the stuff that does make me laugh is usually an SNL Digital Short. And the Digital Shorts that make me laugh the hardest are usually the ones done by filmmakers/fake music-makers The Lonely Island.

The Lonely Island is the brainchild of Jorma Taccone, Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer. They make absurd music and absurd videos. After years of hard work, they finally released a record on February 10th called Incredibad. The record features 19 tracks, including classics such as Jizz in My Pants, Dick in a Box, and Natalie's Rap.

They have two upcoming Q&A and Autograph sessions, one of which is at the Virgin Megastore in Union Square today (2/25) at 7:00pm. All three guys will be there in addition to Paul Rudd who will be hosting. To attend, you have to buy the CD at the Virgin Megastore in Union Square and obtain a bracelet. They also have a similar event happening at Newbury Comics Faneuil Hall on Feb. 27th. Union Square flyer below...

Continue reading "The Lonely Island - CD out now, in-store w/ Paul Rudd today"

the new Kim's on 1st Ave (via Vanishing New York)

Etherea on Avenue A (via Stupefaction)

"Pretty soon, Other Music is going to be the only record store left in Manhattan. Blog Stupefaction reports that Etherea Records will shut down this February after 13 years in the East Village. The shop, on Avenue A between 4th and 5th Streets, plans to honor all gift certificates and store credits, and until the doors close, everything is 30% off.

This news, of course, comes as Mondo Kim's empties on St. Marks and both the Times Square and Union Square Virgin Megastores limp out their final days. (Remember when chains like Virgin were the main threat to little independent record shops? The 90s were such an innocent time.) For more context, check out this New York Times map from last April illustrating Manhattan's surviving record stores, as pointed out by a helpful Stupefaction reader." [Racked]

In related news, Sound Fix's record store isn't closing, but its attached venue is.

DOWNLOAD: AC Newman - Submarines Of Stockholm (edited version, mp3)

photos by Chris La Putt

"Like his friend Dan Bejar, of Destroyer infamy, Carl Newman is a tremendously gifted songwriter who has the New Pornographers to thank for reining in his tendency to let cleverness run amok.

Newman's second solo album confirms his position as de facto bandleader in the New Pornos, overflowing as it is with the scholarly power-pop hooks and ringing boy/girl harmonies - here provided by Nicole Atkins and Mates of State Jason Hammel and Kori Gardner Hammel - familiar from that Canadian indie supergroup's records. Fans who found 2007's Challengers a bit too circuitous and deliberate will, however, find Get Guilty even more so." [Toronto Star]

Continue reading "AC Newman & Nicole Atkins @ a Virgin store - pics & setlist"

"We knew the iconic Virgin Megastore was on its way out, but now we've got a date for the goodbye party. The store closes this coming April; not long after, a Forever 21 will open in its space. Some fun facts: Virgin has the highest volume of music sales in the US, and that location was "profitable to the tune of $6 million," but it was only paying $54/square foot in rent (as opposed to the $700/square foot that's market rate for the neighborhood.) Worrying about the Union Square outpost, Idolator speculates about how long we have "before Other Music becomes the retail powerhouse of New York City by default."" [Racked]

And in other related news, Record Store Day returns this year. The date is April 18, 2009. Stay tuned for a list of festivities that will happen in non-megastore type record stores across the country that haven't gone out of business by then. Last year there were sales and in-store shows and and limited editions and free schwag and other fun stuff like that.

Angela McCluskey

Tickets are back on sale for Tuesday's previously-sold out Glasvegas show at Bowery Ballroom. Angela McCluskey is opening. You can also see Glasvegas for free tonight/Monday (1/5) at the Virgin Megastore in Union Square at 9PM.

More Glasvegas tour dates, including a show at Webster Hall, HERE.
More Monday night NYC events, HERE.

The Damned are playing the Gramercy Theater in NYC on New Years Eve. The cost is $60 a ticket. Now The Damned are also playing (and signing autographs at) the Virgin Megastore in Union Square one day earlier (December 30th) at noon. The price is free. All dates HERE. (thx Joly)

My Bloody Valentine chose Irish singer/songwriter Gemma Hayes to perform at ATP in upstate NY this past Sunday. Now she's is in NYC to play two shows. The first is tonight (9/22) at Mercury Lounge - it's the early show before Low (who also played ATP). The second is free at the Virgin Megastore on Tuesday. Her new album The Hollow of Morning is out September 30th via Second Motion Records.

My Bloody Valentine, who headlined Sunday at ATP, also play NYC on Monday and Tuesday, and though Gemma is not opening those shows, she is opening some of the other dates on MBV's US tour. All GH dates below...

Continue reading "Gemma Hayes played ATP, 2 NYC shows, other tour dates"

Tickets are on sale for an October 16th Ra Ra Riot / Walter Meego show at Bowery Ballroom. That show was not included in their intitial tour announcement that did include the one they're playing one day later at Music Hall of Williamsburg. You can also catch Ra Ra Riot for free today (Aug 19, 2008) at the Virgin Megastore in Union Square. The in-store celebrates their new album 'The Rhumb Line' which is also out today. All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Ra Ra Riot adds a NYC show, playing Virgin store today"

Leia Jospe took some photos at the Santogold in-store on Tuesday.....

tonight in NYC
* Dead Child @ Europa
* Madonna @ Roseland Ballroom
* Chris Rock @ the theater @ MSG
* Fred Thomas & friends @ Cake Shop
* Tribeca Film Festival day parties
* Langhorne Slim is playing Mercury Lounge
* Feist is playing Hammerstein Ballroom again
* Crowded House play their last of three shows @ Irving Plaza

Blood on the Wall is playing Mercury Lounge on May 17th. Tickets are on sale.

Evangelista (w/ Carla Bozulich) is playing Mercury Lounge on June 14th. Tickets are on sale.

Delta Spirit is playing Mercury Lounge on June 26h. Tickets are on sale.

Bon Jovi will play Central Park (thx Sam)

Have you downloaded the free Ghostly Swim compilation yet?

The Roots played Letterman Monday. Duffy played Leno the same night. Both videos are below.

What else?

Continue reading "what's going on Wednesday?"

another picture of Santogold & M.I.A. (and Rose)

Santogold's NYC Virgin in-store is today (April 29, 2008). Today is also the day her new album is out. Over the weekend she played Coachella. Last night she played Conan O'Brien. Video from that, and all tour dates below.....

Continue reading "Santogold played Coachella & Conan (video), instore today"

the cover of Santogold's new album

NYC, Virgin Megastore, 2008
April 25 @ 12:30 PM - Elbow (TODAY!)
April 28 @ 7:00 PM - The Slackers
April 29 @ 7:00 PM - Santogold
May 1 @ 7:00 PM - Robyn
May 13 @ 8:00 PM - Duffy (acoustic)

The Duffy in-store is one day after her show at the Apollo Theater. Elbow's new video below...

Continue reading "upcoming in-store events @ Union Square Virgin Megastore "

Tokyo Police Club played their first of five NYC shows last night....

TPC, NYC, 2008
April 20 @ Bowery Ballroom (LAST NIGHT) (how was it?)
April 21 @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (TONIGHT)
April 22 @ Bowery Ballroom
April 22 @ Virgin Megastore, Union Square (7pm, free)
April 23 @ Sound Fix of Williamsburg (hopefully) (8pm, free)

Their new record "Elephant Shell" is out April 22nd. Until then (tomorrow) you can listen to the whole thing @ MTVu. All tour dates and their new video below....

Continue reading "Tokyo Police Club - 5 NYC shows (2 free), new album stream"

Gnarls Barkley are playing Saturday Night Live tonight (April 12, 2008). Santogold is playing Conan O'Brien on April 28th, and then the Virgin Megastore in Union Square the next day. Gnarls Barkley played Highline Ballroom Thursday night. So did Santogold. Various Gnarls & Santo videos below.....

Continue reading "Gnarls Barkley playing SNL, Santogold playing Conan & Virgin"

photos by Leia Jospe

Tapes n Tapes played a short set at the Virgin Megastore in Union Square yesterday (April 8, 2008) to celebrate the release of their new album. Tonight you can catch then on Conan O'Brien. More tour dates HERE. More pictures (and a video) below...

Continue reading "Tapes n Tapes @ a Virgin store, NYC - pics (Conan tonight)"

Bao stopped by the Virgin Megatstore to check out (and photograph) Kate Nash. He said she only played for 15 minutes though - not quite worth the trip to Union Square, but at least there was no cover charge.

The 20-year-old British singer was recently featured in the NY Daily News, the Village Voice and the NY Times. More of Bao's pictures below....

Continue reading "Kate Nash in the Voice, the Times, & the Virgin store (pics)"

"The Virgin Megastore’s space in Manhattan’s Union Square is being offered by a real estate broker for 2009 availability. According to retail sources, New York-based Winick Realty is shopping the space and has sent out packages highlighting its features." [Billboard] (as seen on Idolator who may also be getting shopped around.)