"Post-concert drug orgy mob nightmare erupts on North 7th Street in Williamsburg thanks to the Open Space Alliance."

the calm before the storm @ Williamsburg Waterfront (photo by Schoetz)

As you may have heard/noticed (if you weren't at the Hold Steady at Beekman Beer Garden that night), jam banders (who weren't at the rescheduled Dave Matthews Band Caravan on Randall's Island) invaded Williamsburg Saturday night because Widespread Panic headlined the Williamsburg Waterfront.

Not surprisingly, some residents weren't too happy with the scene and widespread panic ensued. Gothamist points out that some people still aren't over it and the following open letter to OSA, aka the Open Space Alliance, was drafted:

On Saturday night, September 17, 2011 between approximately 9:40 PM and 10:20 PM the following events took place on North 7th Street off the corner of Kent Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

A lawless drug nightmare erupted on my street after Saturday night's OSA concert featuring the band called Widespread Panic.
At about 9:40 PM the noise from the concert in the East River State Park had finally ended. So I was about to try to get some video editing work done on my computer when my attention was drawn to loud popping sounds, sounds of gas rushing and the roar of large crowd outside on the street. When I looked out my front window I was horrified to see a huge mob collecting. A group of nitrous oxide balloon sellers had assembled next to a dumpster across the street. Hundreds of people, if not more, were gathering up and down the block buying balloons filled with the gas and inhaling them. Concert-goers already drunk from the East River State Park were becoming even more highly intoxicated from the nitrous oxide. They were wandering around like zombies holding fists full of balloons.

There was not ONE SINGLE COP to be seen anywhere. I called 911 and explained what was taking place. The 911 operator was having difficulty understand the situation so I gave him the location and pleaded, 'Just send the police now. We need help here!', and hung up. Afraid for my safety while filming on my stoop, I used my heel to keep the door open behind me just in case I had to escape. In one of the last clips you can see a couple of men coming toward me in a menacing way.

Anyway, I'm really sorry to anyone that appears in these videos, but there are videos which were posted to the StopOSAConcerts Youtube account (the quote at the top of this post comes from one of the video descriptions), and so, well, you can watch them below....

Continue reading ""lawless drug nightmare" after Widespread Panic concert! Nitrous zombies roamed Williamsburg!"

photos by Dana (Distortion) Yavin & Graeme Flegenheimer

The Strokes

"The 10th anniversary [of Bonnaroo] was a celebration of how far the festival has come but also reminded us how it got there. There was something for everyone. The String Cheese Incident and Widespread Panic, who played at the first Bonnaroo, were there to remind people of the festival's jam-band roots. Lil Wayne and Big Boi were there along with Eminem to represent what the festival has become. In between, there were legendary acts like Robert Plant and The Band of Joy, Buffalo Springfield, Gregg Allman, Loretta Lynn, Dr. John, and Bruce Hornsby, which attracted an older crowd that resembled festival crowds of years past.

There were also more recently successful bands that attracted a younger crowd, such as Arcade Fire, The Strokes, The Black Keys, Neon Trees, Mumford & Sons, and The Decemberists.

One of the greatest features of Bonnaroo is that there are plenty of non-music entertainment options for those who need a break from music, the heat, or just need a diversion.

There was a cinema tent where rockumentaries and movies were screened, if you wanted to get out of the heat and cool down. There was a comedy tent that has been graced by comedians like Conan O'Brien and Margaret Cho. Dave Attelland hosted one of my favorite Bonnaroo performances when Flight of the Conchords performed in 2007. This year saw funny-men Lewis Black, Cheech Marin, and Tim Minchin among others in a strong rotation.

Sports fans concerned about the NHL and NBA Finals were happy to find the Bonnaroo Sports Bar where they could play pop-a-shot and watch the games on flat-screen monitors.

Artists were encouraged to show their stuff on the graffiti walls that lined much of the 700-acre farm. By the end of the weekend, you could spend all day walking up and down along the wall, finding some beautiful (and some not so beautiful) creations. " [The Epoch Times]

Bonnaroo 2012 is on sale at noon. The 10th Bonnaroo happened last weekend. Pictures of Karen Elson from Day One are HERE, with the rest of Day One HERE. Pictures of Decemberists from Day Two HERE, with the rest of Day Two HERE. Pictures of Gogol Bordello from Day Three are HERE, and the rest of Day Three are HERE. Robyn from Day Four HERE. The rest of Day 4, and the end of our 2011 Bonnaroo pictures, below...

Continue reading "Bonnaroo 2011 - Day 4 in pics (The Strokes, Mavis Staples, Beirut, EITS. John Waters, Greg Allman & more)"

People at Williamsburg Waterfront last year (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

This summer's Williamsburg Waterfront concert season begins this weekend with a free show on Saturday (6/11) (5:30pm doors). For what it's worth, that show is Coheed and Cambria, Adrian Belew Power Trio and Tigers Jaw, but it is free. It's also one of three currently announced free shows (there will be five free shows total, one of which will be classical music). The other two announced free events are Eugene Mirman and Pretty Good Friends (Patton Oswalt will be one of those friends!) and special musical guests They Might Be Giants on July 29, and a children's show with Moey's Music Party and Story Pirates (who recently hosted a benefit) on June 19 at noon.

Ticketed shows include Death From Above 1979, Death Cab for Cutie, Sonic Youth, Bright Eyes, Thievery Corporation (with Dam-Funk & Master Blazter and Raphael Saadiq opening), TV on the Radio, Fleet Foxes and more. Check out the full lineup with openers listed below...

Continue reading "Williamsburg Waterfront opens this weekend, here is the full updated summer schedule"

Bright Eyes at Sasquatch 2011 (more by Josh Darr)

More artists have added Williamsburg Waterfront shows to their summer schedules. Bright Eyes' Radio City opener Wild Flag already have a waterfront show with Sonic Youth and Kurt Vile. Now Conor Oberst and co. have scheduled one too, on August 31. Tickets go on sale Friday (6/3) at noon.

Bright Eyes are keeping pretty busy this summer, touring and playing festivals. They just played Sasquatch, and are also scheduled to play Lollapalooza, ACL, and Music To Know Fest which is in the Hamptons two weeks before they play Brooklyn. All dates are listed below.

The other new Waterfront show, jam band fans will be happy to know, is Athens, Georgia band Widespread Panic who will play the outdoor space on September 17. Hide your wife weed. Tickets go on sale Friday (6/3) at noon.

All Bright Eyes dates below...

Continue reading "Bright Eyes touring, adds Williamsburg Waterfront show (Widespread Panic too) ---- updated tour dates"

Bonnaroo (June 9-12 in Manchester Tennessee) has announced the 2011 lineup (slightly early), and like the rumored Lollapalooza lineup, Eminem is among the headliners. Bonnaroo also has Grammy winners Arcade Fire and the Black Keys, in addition to Lil Wayne, Mumford & Sons, the Strokes, The Decemberists, Florence & the Machine, Girl Talk, Beirut (haven't seen them in a while), and many more. Full list below...

Continue reading "Bonnaroo 2011 lineup is here"

We Were Promised Jetpacks' new EP The Last Place You'll Look came out in March on Fat Cat. That's the cover above.

In addition to playing the June 30th Passion Pit/Tokyo Police Club/Suckers show at Governors Island (they're opening), We Were Promised Jetpacks has added a Tuesday, June 29th headlining show at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. Bear Hands open. Tickets go on AmEx presale Wednesday at noon. General sale starts Friday, May 28th at noon.

The Brooklyn show is one of at least seven shows that WWPJ and Bear Hands will play together this summer. Those dates include Louisville, Kentucky's Forecastle Festival which has updated its July lineup since we last spoke. That updated lineup and day-by-day schedule, and all dates below...

Continue reading "We Were Promised Jetpacks & Bear Hands add more dates (MHOW), Forecastle Festival updates its lineup "

Black Keys... (by James Carney)

In 2009, both halves of The Black Keys kept remarkably busy with their separate and joint projects. Drummer Patrick Carney released a record and toured with his new band Drummer, while singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach put out his own record (a solo album) and two tours.

Both members were also part of the BlackRoc record, which paired their instruments with rappers like Mos Def, Pharaoh Monch and Q-Tip.

They also found time to play shows as a band, one being their New Year's Eve show in Chicago opened by Kurt Vile.

In 2010, the band will be at the southern rock/blues/jam/funk-focused Wanee Music Festival (headlined by The Allman Brothers) in Florida this April. Full lineup (Sharon Jones, George Clinton, Widespread Panic and More) below. The Allman Brothers recently added some shows to their NYC run that happens even sooner, in March)

Black Keys will also be playing a ticketed show at NYC's Central Park Summerstage on Tuesday, July 27th. $35.00 Tickets go on sale Friday, February 5th at noon. Tinariwen was also just revealed as a band playing Summerstage this summer, though their show is probably free (thanks in part to the money raised by the ticketed shows like The Black Keys... and Pavement).

Videos, tour dates and the fest's lineup are below...

Continue reading "Black Keys playing CP Summerstage & Wanee Fest (lineup)"

photos by Lori Baily

"There was really nothing to complain about if your expectations were correct when you got there. Verlaine did the same boring crap he has been doing for 10 years. The SY set could have been longer and contained at least SOME melody. Their set was the only disappointed of the night. Nels set was great, but only because of the pairing with Norton Wisdom. Very nice. J ripped it like always, he was never one to noodle. Dave Schools of Widespread Panic ripped it up on bass." [Anonymous 1]

vs.

"wtf that review is just WRONG. It was cool and fun to see all these guys doing their Jazzmaster thing. Lee and Moore's set disappointing I don't think anyone there would agree with that. Mascis was more disappointing after setting up 3 huge stacks of amps on stage to get just an ok sound out of all that. Nels Cline nothing without the painter? come on man, get off your ass and listen." [Anonymous 2]

Continue reading "J Mascis, Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Nels Cline & friends @ Fender's 50th anniversary @ KF, NYC - pics"