* Wilco's Sky Blue Sky = Volkwsagon commercial soundtrack
* Paris Hilton dropped from record label. awww
* It was cold at San Francisco Arcade Fire show
* The Jones Beach summer concert schedule
* The PNC Bank Arts Center summer concert schedule
* Free River To River NYC concert schedule
* Josh Homme Slams Ozzy, Sharon Osbourne For Ozzfest Treatment
* Ozzfest Not So Free After All: Organizers Offer VIP Ticket Plans
* Google signs EMI YouTube deal
* CBS snaps up Last.fm
* Glastonbury Unveils Full 2007 Lineup
* Bjork Stunned That People Still Talk About Oscars Swan Dress
* Sharpton pitches rap cleanup in Detroit
* Courtney Love makes live return

Has anyone seen one of the Wilco Volkswagen commercials?

This week in shows-that-have-already,-or-will-sell-out-very-quickly news....

* Low touring with Wilco
* Pumpkins Plan Residencies In Asheville, San Fran

Smashing Pumpkins' only scheduled NYC-area show is still Live Earth.

Earlier this year Billy Corgan was seen hanging out with his friend Courtney Love who was definitely looking very plastic-surgeryey....

Continue reading "SMASHING PUMPKINS playing 17 residency shows, LOW opening for WILCO"

Wilco's latest album, Sky Blue Sky, is out today (along with its 5.2 review at Pitchfork).

Rhino releases Genesis: Genesis 1976-1982, a box set, this week, including the remastered Abacab, And Then There Were Three, Duke, A Trick of the Tail, and Wind & Wuthering, complete with bonus DVD discs.

Two Clash-related discs are noteworthy: the soundtrack to the Joe Strummer biopic, The Future Is Unwritten, and the Clash tribute album, The Sandinista! Project.

Among other releases, I can recommend Rufus Wainwright's most political effort yet, Release The Stars, YACHT's I Believe in You. Your Magic Is Real, Utah Carol's Rodeo Queen, Great Northern's Trading Twilight for Daylight, Efterklang's Under Giant Trees, and Au Revoir Simone's The Bird of Music, and am looking forward to sampling many more of this week's releases (list below).

What new releases are you picking up this week? What can you recommend (or warn against)?

Continue reading "Largehearted Boy's Interesting CD Releases This Week"

DOWNLOAD: Wilco - I Shall Be Released (live) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Mountain Goats - The Boys are Back in Town (MP3)

David Weinberg was one of those who waited in line this afternoon (May 12, 2007) to get a ticket to see Wilco at Warsaw in Brooklyn. As you can see from the above voucher, they're taking the no-scalping thing very seriously.

John Darnielle & Franklin Bruno @ Sound Fix, Brooklyn - May 11, 2007 (CRED)

Last night (May 11) John Darnielle (The Mountain Goats) played a show at Sound Fix Records - also in Brooklyn. More pictures like the one above at "drop out / pop out"'s Flickr. I wonder if CocoRosie was in the crowd.

Monday night (May 14) Sound Fix is hosting a screening fo the new Wilco DVD. Details on that below...

Continue reading "WILCO - Brooklyn sale is over + a DVD screening & JOHN DARNIELLE played Sound Fix"

DOWNLOAD: Wilco - Bob Dylan's 49th Beard (live) (MP3)

Bob Dylan & his band, Bjork, The White Stripes, The Killers, Wilco, Arcade Fire, Muse, My Morning Jacket, Queens of the Stone Age, Bloc Party, Arctic Monkeys, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Damien Rice, Spoon, The Decemberists, Regina Spektor, Amy Winehouse, Crowded House, Kaiser Chiefs, LCD Soundsystem, Devotchka, M.I.A., Ben Kweller, Andrew Bird, Ghostland Observatory, Peter Bjorn and John, Yo La Tengo, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Blonde Redhead, The National, Midlake, Dax Riggs, Sound Team, The Little Ones, and many, many more.

WIlco performs the new song "What Light" in a loft ("the Loft Sessions").....

Continue reading "VIDEO: Wilco performing "What Light""

Was anyone lucky enough to get pre-sale tickets to the Wilco show at Warsaw? If not, there's still waiting on line this Saturday. The new Wilco album Sky Blue Sky isn't actually out until May 15th, but AOL is streaming it now.

Remember that promise of a Wilco show in Brooklyn?

Wilco will be playing at Warsaw on Tuesday, June 26. It is being announced this afternoon... Tickets go on sale next Saturday, May 12. There will also be a pre-sale via wilcoworld next Wednesday at 10 a.m. WILCO Pre-Sale begins Wednesday, May 9 at 10 a.m. EDT. 2 Ticket Limit.
Public On Sale begins Saturday, May 12 at 1 p.m. at the Warsaw and Irving Plaza Box Offices Only. YOU MUST HAVE PHOTO ID TO PURCHASE TICKETS. AND MUST PRESENT THAT SAME ID AT THE DOOR. 2 TICKET LIMIT - CASH ONLY

How was the Webster Hall show? How was the NYU thing? How were the Books at Worldless Music Series?

Yo La Tengo @ Webster Hall, NYC - Apr 29, 2007 (CRED)

This year's Bang on a Can Marathon at the World Financial Center is going to run for 24 Hours (Saturday, June 2, 8pm-Sunday, June 3, 10pm)! Performers include Yo La Tengo, The Books, Clogs, Dalek, Yo La Tengo, the Bang on a Can All Stars, and many, many more. Details below....

Continue reading "Yo La Tengo played Webster Hall, playing 24 hr Bang on a Can Marathon"

...that there will be a Brooklyn show the very next day. Is NJ sold out too? Updated U.S. tour dates below...

Continue reading "Wilco sells out Hammerstein, but there's a rumor..."

DOWNLOAD: Kurt Vonnegut & Dave Soldier - Dyot Meet Mat (MP3) (info)
DOWNLOAD: Kurt Vonnegut & Dave Soldier - Duo for Clarinet and Meade (MP3) (info)
DOWNLOAD: Kurt Vonnegut & Dave Soldier - Mona's Funeral Music (MP3) (info)
DOWNLOAD: Kurt Vonnegut & Dave Soldier - Annihilation Life (MP3) (info)
DOWNLOAD: Kurt Vonnegut & Dave Soldier - East St. Louis 1968 (MP3) (info)
DOWNLOAD: Kurt Vonnegut - A Soldier's Story (MP3) (info)
DOWNLOAD: Fire on the Prairie w/ Kurt Vonnegut & Tim Robbins (MP3) (info)

"[Music] makes practically everybody fonder of life than he or she would be without it" - Kurt Vonnegut

* Watch Andrew Bird rock "Plasticities" on Letterman
* Panda Bear (Noah Lennox of Animal Collective) posts lyrics to Person Pitch
* Listen/See The Shins on Morning Becomes Eclectic
* New Caribou (formerly Manitoba) record Andorra out August 21st
* Merlin Mann interviews John Vanderslice
* Wilco's Tweedy talks new album
* Ozzy hits sobriety milestone with new album
* Get tickets for the Polyphonic Spree May 11th in NYC
* Beatles on iTunes soon?
* Tom Morello, Zack de la Rocha Unite in Chicago
* A short interview with Deerhunter
* Racist remarks cost Imus CBS radio job
* Rest in peace, Kurt Vonnegut

Jeff Tweedy in an IL living room - March 3, 2007 (CRED)

"Wilco have added North American dates to their previously reported world tour. On June 13, they'll begin their short North American trek in Davenport, Iowa. In July, they'll head to Europe for a few festivals. The tour is in support of Wilco's newest album, Sky Blue Sky, which Nonesuch will release on May 15." [Pitchfork]

The new album is supposedly streaming on Wilco's site, but I can't get it to work. They play Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC on June 25th. All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Wilco - new album, stream, 2007 Tour Dates"

I couldn't be happier that I won't have to trek up to Lincoln Center anymore if I want to partake in any official CMJ activities...

CMJ Network Inc. today announced the dates of the 27th annual CMJ Music Marathon, Tuesday, October 16 - Saturday, October 20 in New York City.

For the first time in over a decade, CMJ's daytime events will be headquartered in downtown Manhattan at the world famous Puck Building and multiple venues at New York University. At night, CMJ Music Marathon will once again take over 50 premier clubs and music venues throughout New York City, featuring performances from the best new artists from the worlds of alternative, rock, electronica, hip-hop, metal, Americana, world, jazz and so much more.

Continue reading "CMJ not in Lincoln Center anymore - 2007 dates"

The initial lineup was announced yesterday:

Continue reading "Initial 2007 Bonnaroo lineup"

DOWNLOAD: Jesus & Mary Chain - Just Like Honey (MP3)

DOWNLOAD: 1983 interview with Art Buchwald (MP3)

DOWNLOAD: Denny Doherty - Simone (MP3)

DOWNLOAD: Mamas & the Papas - Make Your Own Kind of Music (Mathieu Bouthier & Muttonheads remix) (MP3)

* RIP music blogger JSpaceman
* Ex-Jesus And Mary Chain brothers return
* Cold War Kids: Unfairly written off for Christian beliefs (or possibly just suck)
* Ani DiFranco Gives Birth to Righteous Baby
* Patron killed at New Jersey hardcore show
* Astroturfers attack PETA in the NYT
* Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton in Concert
* Arcade Fire played secret show at St Michel church
* Download Arcade Fire show at St Michel church
* A review of Arcade Fire at the High School
* A video of Arcade Fire at the High School
* Wilco Confirm New Album Details
* Music industry divided over digital future
* U.K. Music Event to Make New York Debut
* iPhone Ringtone Remixed Into 90's RPG Soundtrack
* Even in Death, Buchwald Had Last Laugh!
* Art Buchwald's Son Calls Past Year "A Rollercoaster"
* Mamas and Papas' Doherty dies at 66
* Dennis Gerrard Stephen Doherty Nov. 29, 1940 - Jan. 19, 2007

As Largehearted Boy pointed out, Wilco side-project The Autumn Defense released their new self-titled album today (Jan 16). There's some songs from it streaming at their MySpace.

They go on tour in February, and make it to Mercury Lounge in NYC on March 19th. Their Wilco bandmate Jeff Tweedy is touring right now.

All Autumn Defense and Jeff Tweedy tour dates below...

Continue reading "The Autumn Defense - 2007 Tour Dates & new album + Jeff Tweedy on tour too"

DOWNLOAD John Zorn - Lilin (MP3)

You know what really sucks? Peeping Tom sucks. (above video also seen on Stereogum & Blabbermouth)

Mike Patton (who I like less-and-less) is playing with frequent-collaborator John Zorn @ Tonic in NYC on New Years Eve, again.

Nels Cline (Wilco) is playing the John Zorn-owned NYC club The Stone on December 28th with Zeena Parkins (2 shows), and again on December 29th with Vinny Goila and Ken Filiano. Other Nels dates here.

The Stone has four special benefit shows coming up on December 25th (Christmas day) and December 30th (New Years eve-eve). The two shows on Christmas will feature "Many special guest and surprises", and for the shows on the 30th we should "Expect anyone and anything in this final 2006 Stone extravaganza!"

Review of Wolfmother's recent sold-out show at Hammerstein Ballroom here.

THIS POSTER IS ALSO FOR SALE (HERE)

RECORD SOLD
The Velvet Underground record sold for $155,401 to a mystery bidder named "mechadaddy", but there's still time to bid on a one-of-a-kind Portastatic poster, a Guided By Voices collage made by Robert Pollard, a limited edition GBV Propeller LP, a Misfits Evilive 45, and an original set of ABBA dolls.

BEASTIE BOYS PLEASE HELP
If you're the Beastie Boys, there's still time to "Help Out a Life-Long Fan!!"

BERLIN
Back to Lou Reed: those Berlin shows are finally happening this week: Dec 14-17 @ St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn. Antony AND Sharon Jones are both in the cast led by Lou Reed. Bob Ezrin and Hal Wilner are directing. The show is also being performed in Sydney, Australia - January 18-20.

THE HARRY SMITH PROJECT
"The Harry Smith Project Is Now In Stores. Lou Reed appears on the Harry Smith Project: Anthology American of Revisited 2-CD/2-DVD box set and the Harry Smith Project Live DVD, available separately. Both releases feature highlights from a series of Harry Smith tribute concerts staged in London, New York and Los Angeles by Hal Willner in 1999 and 2001. For more info, please check out the ecard." Beck, Wilco, Elvis Costello, Sonic Youth, Steve Earle, Beth Orton, and Nick Cave are some of the other artists on there. Give it to someone for the holidays - pair it with the Velvet Underground Box Set.

STREAM: Beth Orton - Frankie (WMA)

AND, LAST BUT NOT LEAST

It's the Lou Reed Tai Chi DVD!

Explosions in the Sky are coming back to NYC to play TWO shows this February.

EITS | 2007 NYC TOUR DATES
2-19 - Warsaw in Brooklyn
2-20 - Concert Hall (Wordless Music Series) in Manhattan w/ Ayano Kataoka

NEW CD, PRESALE, CA SHOWS
February 20th is also the day their new CD comes out. A presale for both shows is now underway. Keep in mind that the Concert Hall one has seats.

EITS are playing three shows in California this month.

WORDLESS MUSIC SERIES
The next Wordless Music Series (WMS) event featuring performances by Andrew Bird, Steven Beck, and A Hawk and a Hacksaw is this Wednesday. Tickets appear to be sold out. That last link is also where EITS tix will be after the presale is over. The last WMS show had some members of Wilco.

GLENN KOTCHE @ THE WORDLESS MUSIC SERIES | 09/18/06 (MORE)

Wednesday, November 15 (6:30 reception / 7:30 show)
* A Hawk & A Hacksaw
* Katya Mihailova (solo piano)
* Andrew Bird (first-ever instrumental/solo violin performance)

This is the next installment in the Lincoln Center Wordless Music series. Tickets go on sale Thursday, Oct. 5.

Previously
Wordless Music Series featuring Nels Cline and Glenn Kotche
Andrew Bird @ Bonnaroo 2006 | pics, news
Glenn Kotche (Wilco) & David Cossin @ World Financial Center, NYC | pics

Golden Smog end their tour at the Vic Theatre in Chicago tonight (Sept 19, 2006). A source close to the band tells me their special guest is in-fact Wilco's Jeff Tweedy. It will be (sometime-Golden-Smog-member) Tweedy's only appearance with Golden Smog since they started touring this year to support their new album.

The NY Times saw Golden Smog Sunday night at Webster Hall.

DOWNLOAD: Yep Roc's September '06 Podcast (MP3) (subscribe)

"Independent record labels in North Carolina are growing and so are their rosters. MoRisen Records in Charlotte features a handful of local artists gaining national attention. Chapel Hill's regarded indie, Merge Records, is known for breaking bands like Superchunk and the Arcade Fire.

But Yep Roc, near Chapel Hill, with a roster of legendary artists and bands with feverish cult followings, is clearly one of the state's most prolific outfits...." [Charlotte Observer]

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The Billy Bragg Vol 2 box set is out 10/17 on Yep Roc Records. Billy Bragg tour dates below...

Continue reading "Yep Roc | an article, a podcast & Billy Bragg (CD/tour dates)"

Wilco's Glenn Kotche is appearing at the Modern Drummer Festival in Newark, NJ on September 16th (with Death Cab's Jason McGerr, Stewart Copeland, and others) . Two days later Glenn starts a short tour with Wilco's Nels Cline at Lincoln Center in NYC. It also doubles as the first show in Lincoln Center's Wordless Music Series. Jenny Lin and Elliott Sharp are also on that bill. All Glenn and Nels dates below...

Continue reading "Glenn Kotche & Nels Cline Tour Dates & Wordless Music Series @ Lincoln Center"

Antony isn't the only show I missed last night. Nick Brassbonanza brings us this review of the Golden Smog show at Bowery Ballroom...

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"Golden Smog are a loosely connected group of musicians comprised, at various times, of members of Soul Asylum, the Replacements, Wilco, The Jayhawks, Run Westy Run, The Honeydogs and Big Star." [Wikipedia]

GOLDEN SMOG @ BOWERY BALLROOM, NYC | JULY 26, 2006 (CRED)

Golden Smog rocked the Bowery Ballroom last night for close to 2 hours. They ran through a set consisting of their classics, “He’s A Dick” and “If I Only Had A Car,” new(er) songs “Hurricane” and “Corvette,” and even a cover of Bowie’s “Starman.” Mike Mills of R.E.M. came out and played guitar during “Revolution Blues”, no Tweedy.

Given the options last night, the indie kids were not at this show. The average age had to be 40 years old; I may have been the youngest one there. This was clearly visible during the encore when another surprise guest came out. The opening chords of The Stooges classic “I Wanna Be Your Dog” began to pour through the speakers and then you here, “Craig, you ready!?” I look to the side of the stage and the Hold Steady front man, Craig Finn, comes crashing onstage! Everyone in the crowd was looking at each other like, “Who the hell is this guy?” I lost my mind! The energy that Finn through out could not be dismissed and he seemed truly possessed, even wrapping the mic chord around guitarist Kraig Jarret Johnson’s neck. It was by far the highlight of the night. The show ended perfectly on that high note. The Smog were indeed back, with the help of a few friends.

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Dan Murphy, Gary Louris, Kraig Johnson, Marc Perlman, Jody Stephens, Linda Pitmon, Mike Mills, and Craig Finn performed at this show

Tweedy wasn't at the Minneapolis one either.

Previously
Golden Smog | new songs, Tour Dates

Sonic Youth's Rather Ripped comes out Tuesday June 13, 2006.
STREAM IT AT AOL MUSIC.

"Sonic Youth are the best band in the universe, and if you can't get behind that, that's your problem. They haven't made a bad album since Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, and Lee Ranaldo found perfect drummer Steve Shelley in 1985, and (forget Radiohead, forget Wilco) have released more good ones in the past decade than anyone in rock except—this is funny—Neil Young." [Robert Christgau - Village Voice]

"Everyone has a different idea of what Sonic Youth's best record is because none are in any way perfect; they all contain various failures. But 'Rather Ripped' has a different level of authoritative power. It is a fully legitimate, clear and strong rock 'n' roll record in the band's own style. And it may really be the best one, though one fears that saying it out loud means the band's work is done." [NY Times]

"When Murray Street came out in 2002, non-old Amy Phillips notoriously asserted in this very newspaper that since Sonic Youth hadn't made a good album since (1995's) Washing Machine, they should break up already. Who's to say her opinion isn't worth as much as mine? Me? Well, yeah. One concept the non-old have trouble getting their minds around is the difference between taste and judgment." [Robert Christgau - Village Voice]

"Sonic Youth needn't bother impressing folks at this point. That history can also work against them, but it's boring to parade out each classic and see how Rather Ripped stacks up to it. So, hey, let's just say it's great to hear Kim, Lee, Steve, and Thurston making an album that sounds beautifully invigorated and goes down smoothly."
[NOT Amy Phillips - Pitchfork (7.5)]

"Thurston Moore: This is a beautiful view. Actually, I used to walk along this. Back then, we used to have so much fun walking around New York. I used to see Tom (Verlaine) shopping for magazines at magazine vendors on the street and I would follow him around to see what he was buying. He would always flick, but never buy. I was curious what this guy was buying because maybe it would lead me to some kind of communication." [Harp Magazine]

Sonic Youth Tour Dates below....

Continue reading "Sonic Youth's Rather Ripped | Album Stream, Pitchfork vs The Voice, Tour Dates, etc..."