White Rabbits in Chicago in April (more by Ben Rodig)

White Rabbits don't have too much planned for this summer. They'll be in Toronto this week for NXNE and will do a few festivals in August, including Lollapalooza (who just announced their schedule). Other than that, they've only got a couple other shows scheduled at the moment -- including a free show in NYC on June 30 at Music Hall of Williamsburg with We Barbarians. The show is the first in a new bi-monthly, free concert series called Converse Rubber Tracks Live and admission is first come first served. Each show in the new series will feature a band who recorded at Converse Rubber Tracks (this time that band is We Barbarians who were also chosen to open by White Rabbits).

A list of all White Rabbits dates and a video below...

Continue reading "White Rabbits playing a free NYC show with We Barbarians (and other dates)"

Lee Fields at MHOW in March (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

Speaking of free shows in Fort Greene Park, Lee Fields and the Expressions will play one at the outdoor Brooklyn venue on July 10 with Janka Nabay & the Bubu Gang and DJ Akalepse. That show happens two weeks before Lee opens for Wilco at Prospect Park (7/23) (tickets).

Meanwhile, you can catch Janka Nabay in NYC TONIGHT (6/12) at Zebulon with Nass Gnawa and The Oracle DJ's. Janka's tour dates also list The Avant Garde Diaries on June 19 at a TBA address.

A list of all dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "Lee Fields & the Expressions playing free show at Fort Greene Park w/ Janka Nabay, who plays Zebulon tonight (dates)"

Shabazz Palaces at Sasquatch 2012 (more by Chris Graham)

Avant-rap group Shabazz Palaces have a few upcoming dates this summer including the previously discussed NYC show at Williamsburg Park on August 19 supporting My Morning Jacket (tickets). They'll play their own NYC show before that though, with a free show on July 24 at Fort Greene Park with labelmates THEESatisfaction, with whom they often collaborate, and DJ Daniel Givens.

A list of all dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "Shabazz Palaces playing shows w/ THEESatisfaction, including a free one at Fort Greene Park (dates)"

We just posted about The Rapture's upcoming three-night stint at Music Hall of Williamsburg in September, but you can see them next week when they play House of Vans (25 Franklin St., Brooklyn) with Tanlines, JDH and Dave P on June 20. It's a free show and the RSVP page is now open.

H2O, 7 Seconds and some TBAs will play House of Vans on July 12 but the RSVP is not open for that one yet, or for four that still have no lineups (there will be six total according to the initial announcement).

Flyer for the Rapture HoV show is below.

Continue reading "RSVP for House of Vans Rapture / Tanlines show is open"

Eleanor Friedberger at Hotel Vegan, SXSW 2012 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Eleanor Friedberger and Ex Cops will play a free show Pier 17 at the Seaport on July 13, the night before the 4Knots Festival. That brings the total up to four for Friday shows at the Seaport, the others being The Miracles Club on June 22; Veronica Falls with The People's Temple on June 29; and Patrick Watson with Loney Dear on July 6.

It looks like that's Eleanor's only upcoming show at the moment. Ex Cops, however, will play this week at the Northside Fest as part of Other Music Recording Co.'s showcase at Union Pool on Thursday, June 14 with Nude Beach, The Everymen and a mystery headliner. No advance tickets for that one.

Continue reading "Eleanor Friedberger and Ex Cops playing the Seaport"

Wavves at McCarren Park in 2011 (more by Tamara Porras)

Wavves just finished up an international tour which included some Australian dates, Primavera Sound in Spain, and a few other European stops along the way. They'll be back in the states this week, but before returning home to California, Wavves will stop in NYC for a 1800 Tequila and SPIN-presented "Essential Artist Series" show at 446 Broadway (between Howard and Grand St) on Wednesday (6/13) with DJ sets by Flosstradamus' J2K and Nick Catchdubs. The show is free but RSVP is required. The show flier is below.

Wavves' tour included a show at The Corner Hotel in Melbourne, which was recorded in full and available to stream or download at Aussie indie radio station triple j. The set included material from all three full lengths, the Life Sux EP, and their cover of Sonic Youth's "100%."

Continue reading "Wavves playing free show in NYC on Wednesday"

So the headline pretty much says it all. The announced Bob Mould show that was to be at Webster Hall on September 7 will now happen the same date at Williamsburg Park and will be free and open to the general public.

Bob and his band (John Wurster on drums and Jason Narducy) will perform Sugar's 1992 album Copper Blue in its entirety and then do a set spanning Mould's career, from Husker Du favorite to songs from his new album for Merge, Silver Age. Pretty sweet.

Updated dates below...

Continue reading "Bob Mould's NYC 'Copper Blue' show now at Williamsburg Park and will be free!"

As mentioned, Nicki MInaj cancelled her Hot 97 Summer Jam performance over the weekend after being dissed by station DJ Peter Rosenberg. On Monday (6/4), she called into the station to explain her decision and ended up in long argument with Funkmaster Flex. You can listen to that interview/argument HERE.

As NY Times points out, during the interview, Nicki "apologized to her fans and promised to do a free show in the New York area this summer to make up for canceling." Keep an eye out for that show to be announced.

The NY TImes article dove more into the ongoing Young Money vs Hot 97 feud. Here's some choice excerpts:

Ms. Minaj said it was bad form for Mr. Rosenberg to criticize her just before a show when she was giving her time to benefit the radio station. She also suggested that Mr. Rosenberg had singled her out because she is a woman.

...

Mr. Rosenberg, meanwhile, did not soften his stand during his appearances on the station on Monday night and Tuesday morning. "There is a get me to apologize movement, to which I can say, I'm absolutely not apologizing, because I didn't do anything wrong," he said on Monday evening. "I'm not going to change my stand because I'm at Summer Jam. I've been saying it for six months."

...

"That's a hip-hop show," [program director Ebro Darden] said of the Summer Jam. "When artists want to go out and make songs for other formats, that's their prerogative, but that doesn't mean our hosts have to like it. It was not a direct shot at her, at her personality, at her as a woman -- there was no sexual reference, there was no disrespect."

"It's a real hip-hop stage, and in real hip-hop, things get said," Mr. Darden added.

Continue reading "Nicki Minaj promising to do free show in NYC area this summer; debate w/ Hot 97 continues"

Idle Warship at Culture Shock 2012 (more by Kellyann Petry)

Summerstage which, as in previous years, includes more than just Central Park, will be hosting free shows this summer at Herbert Von King Park. One of those goes down this Sunday (6/10), and though billed as Talib Kweli (with Band), based on the event page's URL and Idle Warship's tour dates, we're pretty sure that means it's an Idle Warship show (aka Talib, Res, and a full live band). The show will be presented in conjunction with a screening of Brooklyn Boheme. Check out the full schedule of shows in Herbert Von King Park HERE.

In related news, Talib Kweli collaborator Jean Grae, who is gearing up to release her new full length, Cake or Death, will be playing Public Assembly on Thursday (6/7). The Brooklyn venue is hosting two solid shows that day: 'Brooklyn Live' in the back room with Jean, Skyzoo & !llmind, DJ IS1, Scram Jones, and Fresh Vetz, and 'Popular Demand' in the front room with Fool's Gold artists Party Supplies and Nick Catchdubs, along with Maffew Ragazino Sr., Nitty Scott MC, and more. Tickets to the front room show and the back room show are available. Check out the video trailer for Jean Grae's Cake or Death below, along with fliers for both Public Assembly shows.

Continue reading "Herbert Von King Park hosting free shows this summer; Idle Warship this weekend; Jean Grae playing Public Assembly"

"Kendrick Lamar killing it. Summer Jam crowd fucking sucks tho smfh." - KJ

DOWNLOAD: Kendrick Lamar - "War Is My Love" (MP3)

Kendrick at Summer Jam (via)

Kendrick Lamar, who is in the NYC area this weekend for Hot 97 Summer Jam (he just played, how was it?) will be sticking around for a free show at Santos Party House on Monday (6/4). Here's how you can get in:

Follow HTC USA, VEVO, or Kendrick Lamar on Twitter or Facebook, and be on the look-out for Social Sounds tweets and Facebook posts. RT the Social Sounds message [with the hashtag #SocialSounds] on Twitter, or "share" the Social Sounds message on Facebook. Be one of the first 300 people to show proof of it on your phone at the door for a chance to get in free!

Continue reading "Kendrick Lamar played Summer Jam, playing free show at Santos Party House on Monday"

Glenn Branca Ensemble at last year's Marathon (more by Andrew Frisicano)

As previously announced, the 2012 River to River Festival will kick off with the annual 12-hour Bang on a Can Marathon on June 17 from noon to midnight at the World Financial Center Winter Garden:

Some highlights include Bang on a Can All-Stars, astonishing cellist Maya Beiser, Pauline Oliveros' Deep Listening Band, sound pioneer Alvin Lucier, indie guitar sensation Kaki King, jazz genius Matthew Shipp, music by David Longstreth (Dirty Projectors), Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), Steve Reich, David T Little, Ruby Fulton, Michael Harrison; film by Bill Morrison, and much more. Stay all Day!
Presented by River To River Festival, Arts Brookfield and Bang on a Can.

Meanwhile, you can also catch Thurston Moore in NYC tonight (5/31) with Bill Nace and Joe McPhee.

Continue reading "Bang on a Can Marathon schedule released"

Chris Keating w/ Yeasayer at Jones Beach (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

When we first mentioned that Yeasayer will be going on tour this summer in support of their upcoming Fragrant World LP, tickets were only available at the band's website. Since we last spoke, tickets for the NYC show, which happens on September 12 at Central Park Summerstage were posted to Ticketmaster as well. They're currently on AmEx presale and go on sale to the general public on Friday (6/1) at noon.

In related news, you can catch Chris Keating of Yeasayer DJing tonight (5/31) at a Vibrations party on the Hudson Terrace Roof Deck. Doors are at 10 PM and admission is free til midnight with RSVP. The show also includes Punches (who will be celebrating the release of their new EP, It Can Only Get Better), Sean Glass, and Alex English. The flier for tonight's show is below.

Continue reading "Yeasayer Summerstage tix posted; Chris Keating DJing tonight"

by Bill Pearis

Rinôçérôse

We don't get a lot of French bands over here, especially ones who sing in their native tongue. If you're interested in Francophone pop, however, you might want to go to Le Poisson Rouge on Monday, June 4 for the Les Déferlantes French Festival which features performances from acclaimed dance act Rinôçérôse, Izia, Dionysos and a DJ set from Coblism. If you're at all curious, it might be worth checking out as admission is FREE.

Rinôçérôse, whose name requires an intimate knowledge of alt-key shortcuts or at least the ability to cut and paste to spell it like they do, formed the group in 1996 and found themselves part of the new wave of electronic musicians at the time (Daft Punk, Basement Jaxx, Royksopp) and garnered a lot of attention with their 1999 debut album, Installation Sonore which took house music and added guitars, which doesn't seem all that radical now but at the time it was somewhat radical. The record can still be heard in Euro-style hotel lobbies all over the world. Rinôçérôse have gotten much more guitar-rock oriented over the years, having released albums about every three years since, the most recent being 2009's Futurino.

Rinôçérôse were supposed to play Glasslands the next night (June 5) but their performance has been canceled. They will be DJing, however, at Le Bain on Sunday (6/3) for the Ete D'Amour party which starts at 4PM and goes all night.

As for the rest of the acts on the Le Poisson Rouge bill, Izia makes danceable rock and Dionysos do a fun, modern update of French ye-ye style pop. Check out videos from all three artists performing below, along with a detailed flyer for the show.

Continue reading "Rinôçérôse playing Les Déferlantes French Festival at Le Poisson Rouge next week (free show!)"

by Andrew Sacher

Genre hopping rapper/producer Spoek Mathambo is continuing to tour behind his Father Creeper, which he dropped earlier this year via Sub Pop. At any given moment that album can sound like rap, indie rock, electropop, and most of the time it's floating somewhere in between. If you've yet to check it out, you can listen to the whole thing below.

Spoek's in the middle of a European run right now, and will make his way over to North America in July. While he's here, he'll play a NYC show on July 12 at Le Poisson Rouge and a free show in Brooklyn at Weeksville Heritage Center on July 14. Tickets for the LPR show are on sale now.

All dates are listed below, along with the album stream...

Continue reading "Spoek Mathambo touring, playing LPR & free Brooklyn show"

Archers of Loaf at Bowery Ballroom in April (more by Joe McCabe)

We finally posted those Archers of Loaf Bowery Ballroom pictures yesterday, and then today this happens:

The Village Voice, the nation's largest alternative weekly newspaper, is thrilled to announce the Archers Of Loaf added to this year's The 4Knots Music Festival at the South Street Seaport, Piers 16 & 17 on Saturday, July 14, 2012 from 1:00 - 8:00 PM. Team Spirit, Doldrums and Devin will also join the bill, featuring The Drums, Crocodiles, Hospitality, Bleached and Nick Waterhouse. More artists to be announced.

The 4Knots Music Festival will expand this year to include Piers 16 and 17 with a second outdoor side stage confirmed. Expanding to Pier 16 will allow the 4Knots Music Festival to include more performers.

And speaking of Nick Waterhouse, he just played Mercury Lounge, but unlike as previously reported, will not be back to play Dekalb Market. 4Knots is his next NYC show.

Other free shows coming up at South Street Seaport are listed HERE. No official word on whether they'll be another 4Knots pre-show like there was with Ted Leo last year (but stay tuned).

Real Estate at Coachella 2012 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

As mentioned, Real Estate are set to kick off a North American tour this summer, not long after they play Pitchfork Festival in Chicago. That tour includes the previously discussed NYC show at Webster Hall on August 11, to which tickets are still on sale.

You'll be able to catch Real Estate in the NYC-area even sooner than that when they play a hometown (before they moved to Brooklyn) show in Ridgewood, NJ at the Kasschau Memorial Shell on June 24 with fellow Ridgewood bands Toasted Plastic and Spook Houses. The show is a benefit for the Nick Currey Fund and it is free but donations are appreciated. Advance $15 donations will gain you VIP access and enter you into a drawing for autographed Real Estate merchandise.

Updated dates are listed below, along with a Real Estate song stream.

Continue reading "Real Estate playing a free benefit show in NJ before tour"

Philip Glass at Tibet House benefit in February (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

BAM's 30th annual Next Wave Festival is going down from September 5, 2012 - January 19, 2013. The festival encompasses music, theater, film, dance and more. This year's programming includes Robert Wilson, Philip Glass and Lucinda Childs performing in Einstein on the Beach: an Opera in Four Acts; plus John Cale's Life Along the Borderline: A Tribute to Nico (w/ special guests, U.S. premiere); and When Past & Future Collide: Paris 1919 (w/ Wordless Music Orchestra, NY premiere); David Lang and Anonymous 4's love fail; So Percussion and Ain Gordon's Where (we) Live, and more. The complete list of 2012 Next Wave Festival programming is below.

Speaking of Philip Glass, the Philip Glass Ensemble will continue to celebrate his 75th birthday this year with a free show at Rockefeller Park on June 20 as part of the RIver to River Festival. The show will be opened by youth ensemble Face the Music, who will be performing Philip Glass' Glassworks. The show happens a few days after Philip finishes up his intimate three-night run at Issue Project Room.

Complete 2012 Next Wave Festival programming below...

Continue reading "BAM 2012 Next Wave Festival announced; Philip Glass Ensemble playing a free show in Rockefeller Park"

tUnE-yArDs at Coachella 2012 (more by David Andrako)

Indie/classical festival Ecstatic Music Festival has expanded and now includes a free summer concert series called Ecstatic Summer, which is part of the River to River Festival and will happen at the World Financial Center. The first show will is June 30 with Merrill Garbus (tUnE-yArDs), 8-piece vocal group Roomful of Teeth, composer William Britelle, and The Yehudim. Roomful of Teeth will be performing compositions by Merrill Garbus and William Britelle, and in addition Merrill will be playing some tUnE-yArDs material as well.

The second show is on July 14 with Oneohtrix Point Never (Daniel Lopatin), composer David Lang, and A Far Cry Orchestra. The show will include some re-arrangements of Oneohtrix Point Never material.

The third show is on August 25 and will feature Brooklyn disco orchestra Escort collaborating with the equally large Darcy James Argue's Secret Society. They'll play new work in addition to interpretations of each other's existing work.

Speaking of tUnE-yArDs, their tour comes to NYC next month for a previously mentioned show at Terminal 5 on June 1 with Micachu and the Shapes and Delicate Steve. Tickets are still available. The video for "My Country" is below...

Continue reading "Ecstatic Summer hosting free shows at World Financial Center w/ tUnE-yArDs, Oneohtrix Point Never, Escort & more"

Ben Kweller @ Town Hall in 2008 (more by Eric M. Townsend)

That free 7/14 Blitzen Trapper gig is actually a co-headlining bill with Ben Kweller, and that show is one of a few free shows that will be hosted this year in NYC apartment complex Stuy Town. Full list below...

Continue reading "free shows at Stuy Town Oval this summer (Ben Kweller, Dan Zanes, Wood Brothers & more)"

The Beach Boys are still making their way around the world on their 50th Anniversary tour, which hit NYC for two Beacon Theater shows earlier this month and another NYC-area show at Westchester County Center this past Tuesday (5/15). They're in Atlantic City this Saturday (5/19) and we already know they'll return to the NYC area next month for shows at Jones Beach on June 24 (tickets) and PNC Bank Arts Center on June 27 (tickets).

Tickets for those shows are still available, but if you don't wanna fork up the cash (and don't mind waking up really early), you can catch The Beach Boys at a free show in Central Park on June 15 as part of Good Morning America's Summer Concert Series, which means they'll be performing close to 8 AM ("Viewers interested in joining "GMA" in Central Park are encouraged to arrive at Rumsey Playfield via the 72nd street entrance on Fifth Avenue at 6:00am when the park opens to the public. All concerts are free and open to the public and will take place live during "Good Morning America," Fridays from 7:00 - 9:00 a.m. ET."). Other announced 2012 Good Morning America bands include Counting Crows, and boy band The Wanted (full announced list below).

Should be a fun way to start your day if you're already in the show-going mood from Northside Festival, which starts one day earlier (6/14) and runs through 6/17.

This won't be the first time that The Beach Boys play in Central Park. Check out some videos when they played in 1971, which aired on ABC-TV as a production titled, Good Vibrations in Central Park, and a news station clip of their 1977 show in the park, along with a list of updated dates below...

Continue reading "Beach Boys playing 'Good Morning America' in Central Park (and other bands too)"

by Bill Pearis

While he's been hot stuff in his home of Los Angeles for a while, retro-styled R&B bandleader Nick Waterhouse is now gaining traction in New York too. His show this Saturday (5/19) at Mercury Lounge is now sold-out and he's been added to the line-up of the Village Voice 4Knots Festival at South Street Seaport on July 14.

In between -- next weekend to be specific -- he'll also play The Do-Over which happens at Dekalb Market on Sunday, May 27. It's a free party that goes from 2PM - 10PM and features a "secret cast of mystery guests" of whom Waterhouse is one. You do need to RSVP to go.

CORRECTION: The Do-Over is happening on May 27 but Nick isn't playing. Sorry for any confusion.

Nick also just released a video for his song "Some Place" from his enjoyable debut LP, Time's All Gone, which is out now and streamable at the bottom of this post, along with the new video.

The Do-Over is one of a growing number of shows happening at the Downtown Brooklyn space. Other announced shows include a series of parties thrown by Fixed and The Dog and Pony Show happening in June, July and August: Blondes with Holy Ghost! DJ set (6/3, tickets), Chromatics (7/22, tickets) and Maxxi Sound System (8/18, tickets).

Dekalb Market is also one of the Rooftop Films locations, and the first screening there happens TONIGHT (5/17) with a series of short films (inlcluding the brilliant "Walt Disney's Taxi Driver") and musical guest Future Shuttle.

Nick Waterhouse video and listed tour dates are below, along with more info on those upcoming Dekalb Market shows.

Continue reading "Blondes, Chromatics and more playing Dekalb Market (not together), which has Rooftop Films tonight"

E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial

The "Movies with a View" series returns in 2012 at Pier 1 Harbor View Lawn near the Brooklyn Bridge for two months of film under the stars and in front of that stellar view. This year's series runs Thursdays in July and August, and is now actually called "SyFy Movies With a View" (it's sponsored by the SyFy network), though only the July 5 opening film, E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial, falls under science fiction. Yes, that is slightly confusing, but remember... it's free.

Movies include Clueless, Barefoot in the Park, Wet Hot American Summer, Unforgiven, and an audience choice. The movies are all paired with a short film and a DJ. Music starts at 6PM with the movies at sunset. Between this, Summerscreen, Rooftop Films, and a handful of other free film series, there is no shortage of outdoor cinematic entertainment for NYC this summer.

The full SyFy Movies with a View schedule is below.

Continue reading "free movies in Brooklyn Bridge Park (2012 schedule) "

Dub pioneer, living legend and genuine eccentric, Lee "Scratch" Perry is currently on a US tour that will stop at NYC's Gramercy Theater on Thursday (5/17) with openers Subatomic Sound System. Tickets for that show are still available. All Lee Perry dates are listed below.

If you're unfamiliar with his extensive canon of work, you might want to check out Perry documentary, The Upsetter, which was released on DVD earlier this year. Perry's seminal album Blackboard Jungle Dub just came out as a cool 10" box, one of the hottest Record Store Day releases this year. And for the real fan, you can now get the Lee "Scratch" Perry vinyl figure which is pictured above.

Perry makes a short but memorable appearance in the recently-released documentary Marley which is still in theaters (like NYC's Sunshine Cinema). Marley is also streaming now via various sources and comes to DVD August 9.

In other reggae news, August marks the 50th anniversary of Jamaica's independence from British colonial rule and there will be a celebration at Summerstage in Central Park on August 19 with a free show featuring Inner Circle, Israel Vibration, The Mighty Diamonds and DJ Carter Van Pelt.

In other news from the island, we were sad to read that Skatalites bassist and founding member Lloyd Brevett died last week at age 80. RIP Lloyd.

You can watch videos of the Skatallites and Lee "Scratch" Perry in action, plus the trailer for The Upsetter and a list of all Perry tour dates below...

Continue reading "Lee 'Scratch' Perry on tour +++ other reggae-related news"

photos by Toby Tenenbaum

Willis Earl Beal had me at his opening line, "I am gonna sing you some songs and then I am gonna get off the Goddamned stage!"...He's a born performer and for the duration of his hour long set, he sang like a man possessed! Think of the vocals of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put A Spell on You" and add a whole lot of soul with an addictively entertaining stage presence and you've got Willis Earl Beal. [accordingtog]

Willis Earl Beal mainly has European dates scheduled in the upcoming months, but he'll be in the US for a few festival dates and a free NYC show at Central Park Summerstage on June 7 opening for Bobby Womack.

All Willis Earl Beal dates are listed below alongside more pics from the Bowery Ballroom show...

Continue reading "Wu Lyf and Willis Earl Beal played Bowery Ballroom (pics); Willis playing Summerstage w/ Bobby Womack "

The Drums at Hotel Vegan day party March 2012 (more by Tim Griffin)

The Village Voice has announced the initial line-up of its 4Knots Festival which happens July 14 at South St. Seaport. Headliners for the free show are The Drums, with Crocodiles (which we already knew), Hospitality, Bleached and Nick Waterhouse being the others. Unlike last year, there will be a second stage as well on neighboring Pier 16 (Pier 17 is where the Seaport Music Festival Happens). Stay tuned for the rest of the line-up.

If you're curious about Nick Waterhouse, the retrofied R&B bandleader plays a late show at Mercury Lounge this Saturday (5/19) and you can download a live album too.