by Andrew Sacher

Speaking of dub/psych artists who are playing Austin Psych Fest later this month, but are meanwhile in NYC for Unsound this week, Madison, Wisconsin duo Peaking Lights (who play a free Unsound show at Lincoln Center on Thursday with LXMP) just dropped the first track off their upcoming album, Lucifer (out 6/19 via Mexican Summer) and it's pretty great. Stream that track, which is called "LO HI," along with all of their dates, below...

Continue reading "listen to a new Peaking Lights track, see them for free"

Zounds at Punk Island 2011 (more by Sarah Coulter)

ABC No Rio's HC/Punk Collective has brought back the 2012 edition of Punk Island, a day-long punk festival happening on Governors Island on June 24th (three days after Make Music New York this year). As always, Punk Island is entirely free but they rely on donations and volunteers to make it happen. Make your contribution to the cause (the fest costs $15k to produce) by buying merch or contributing via WePay.

Initial Punk Island lineup, including the reunited crust band Thulsa Doom who recently got back together to open for Crass at Santos, is below.

Continue reading "initial Punk Island 2012 lineup & date announced"

Dam-Funk at Union Pool (more by Erez Avissar)

It's that very special time again...

WBAR Barnard College Radio is pleased to announce WBAR-B-Q XIX happening Saturday, April 28th from 2-10 PM at Barnard College in New York City

2 stages, 9 acts, 8 hours of music, free BBQ, ALL FREE, ALL AGES, ALL OPEN TO THE PUBLIC...

Come early for the free food and BBQ starting at 1:30 PM, stay for the jams

TELL ALL YER FRIENDS

The show is one of four NYC-area shows scheduled for Widowspeak, who also play Maxwell's on 4/13 with Crystal Stilts and two NYC shows on their tour with 2:54. Their full tour schedule is below alongside some video.

Continue reading "WBAR-B-Q 2012 lineup (free show w/ Bush Tetras, Dam-Funk, Widowspeak, Forma & many more)"

""There is probably no musical artist who has as wide an audience internationally as Bob does," Macdonald says. "You can find people in any country in the world, whether the Arab world or Africa or Asia, who are into Bob. There is this huge built-in audience for people who want to know more about this man whose music speaks to them. And it's a really interesting life story. He lived a rich and eventful life, he died tragically young, and it's a great narrative. The amazing thing about Marley is that he's utterly unique. There is no other superstar in the world of music who came from the Third World -- he's the only one who speaks to the developing world. He's not just a popular musician, he's a philosopher. He's a prophet for them. He's somebody who gives advice and succor in times of need. There's nobody else who's like that. That's why I wanted to make a movie about him, to understand what he was saying and why he was saying it and why it is that the music has this ongoing resonance."" [Hollywood Reporter]

You don't need to wait that long to see it though because BrooklynVegan is proud to present a FREE advanced screening of the film at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on Thursday, 4/12, at 7pm (first come, first served). Like our recent screenings of The Island President, Boy, Senna, and Exit Through the Gift Shop, seats are put out in the main/back room of the club where a screen comes down over the stage, and the sound booms out of their concert-ready system. See you there.

Check out the trailer and video interview with Kevin Macdonald, Ziggy Marley and his wife Karen, below...

Continue reading "MARLEY documentary opens on 4/20 (BV Presents a free screening on 4/12!)"

Friends just opened for Metronomy at Irving Plaza and are about to head out on a tour with Neon Indian starting in Philly on Tuesday (dates below), but first you can see them for free in Chinatown in NYC tonight/Monday (4/2). Details at the Le Baron event's Facebook page (which you need to "Join" to go).

Continue reading "Friends opened for Metronomy, playing free NYC show tonight before touring with Neon Indian"

More info HERE.

Neko Case in Long Island in 2011 (more by Greg Cristman)

READS THE PRESS RELEASE:

BUDDY GUY, NEKO CASE TO HEADLINE FREE OUTDOOR BLUES FESTIVAL ON HUDSON RIVER WATERFRONT, JULY 11-12

Second annual Lowdown Hudson Blues Festival, NYC's only free summer blues festival, returns with stellar lineup of living legends and groundbreaking new stars

Brookfield Office Properties today announced that Chicago blues legend Buddy Guy, fresh from jamming with President Obama at an all-star concert at the White House last month, will join celebrated chanteuse Neko Case to headline a free two-day blues music festival in Lower Manhattan on July 11th and 12th.

Cementing its status as one of the city's premiere free summer festivals, the second annual Lowdown Hudson Blues Festival will return to the spectacular outdoor plaza at the World Financial Center with full headlining sets from Buddy Guy and, in her first concert of 2012, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Neko Case. The two-day free concert will also feature an exceptional lineup of renowned blues acts and rising stars like John Mayall, Charles Bradley and the Extraordinaires, He's My Brother She's My Sister, and Quinn Sullivan.

Full Lowdown Hudson Blues Fest lineup by day with more info, below....

Continue reading "Neko Case, Buddy Guy, Charles Bradley, others playing free outdoor fest @ World Financial Center"

BrooklynVegan is proud to present a free screening of award-winning film "The Island President." What is "The Island President" about? Ask Radiohead's Thom Yorke!...

Says Thom Yorke: "'The Island President' is a film about the Maldives, and the struggle of President Nasheed to get the voice of a small nation heard in the climate change debate. Unless something is done to stop rising sea levels they will lose everything. The country will be under water. Some of our music was used to help tell the story."

"The Island President" is the story of the Maldives' bad-ass president, Mohamed Nasheed, and his fight against global warming. His tiny island nation is on the brink of demise -- rising sea levels will certainly swallow up the entire country, and along with it, every last person and vestige of their civilization -- in the foreseeable future. (Keep in mind Manhattan is also a low-lying area surrounded by water. This issue is not exclusive to the Maldives; they are only the first casualty.)

The movie opens in theaters on Wednesday, March 28, but you're invited to a special BrooklynVegan advance screening at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on Sunday, March 25th. Like our previous free screenings of "Boy", "Senna" and "Exit Through the Gift Shop", this one is first come, first served, and seated.

Unlike at our previous screenings, at this one we're giving away two pair of Radiohead tickets! Details on how to win, and the movie trailer, below...

Continue reading "BV Presents a free screening of "The Island President" (and a chance to win Radiohead tickets!)"

Laura Marling at the McKittrick Hotel in 2011 (more by Chris La Putt)

Laura Marling will be coming to the US in April to support Andrew Bird on a short tour surrounding both musicians' appearances at Coachella. She'll be playing solo like she did on her last North American tour which brought her to NYC in December.

The April tour includes no east coast dates, but she'll be returning to North America in June for a full band tour which kicks off with Bonnaroo and hits NYC for a free show on June 14 for Celebrate Brooklyn at Prospect Park. It's the second free Celebrate Brooklyn show announced so far (Jimmy Cliff was the first) and third overall, including the not free Dirty Projectors show.

Speaking of Andrew Bird, who just played the Bell House, you can stream his new album, Break It Yourself, on NPR.

All dates and Laura's video for "I Was Just A Card" below...

Continue reading "Laura Marling announces tour, free Prospect Park show (dates)"

Celebrate Brooklyn, aka the mostly-free concerts at the Prospect Park bandshell, announce:

JIMMY CLIFF TO KICK OFF 34th ANNUAL
CELEBRATE BROOKLYN! PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL
WITH FREE OPENING NIGHT CONCERT ON TUESDAY, JUNE 5

Evening Begins with Opening Night Gala Benefiting Free Summer Performing Arts Festival

Brooklyn | February 27, 2012 - BRIC Arts | Media | Bklyn is pleased to announce that reggae legend Jimmy Cliff will open the 2012 Celebrate Brooklyn! Performing Arts Festival on Tuesday, June 5 in a free performance at the Prospect Park Bandshell. Throughout the past 50 years, Cliff has helped shape modern music with his influential and socially conscious work. This year marks the 40th anniversary of his landmark hits, "You Can Get It If You Really Want" and "The Harder They Come," which helped to make reggae mainstream throughout the world. He is the only living musician to hold Jamaica's Order of Merit, the highest honor granted for achievement in the arts and sciences. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of Jamaican independence and Cliff's performance will pay tribute, not only to his origins, but to the great Jamaican population of Brooklyn.

The free concert by Cliff starts at 8:00 P.M. It will kick off the 34th season of free Celebrate Brooklyn! performances presented by BRIC in Prospect Park. Announcement of other performers at the Festival will come later this spring.

Meanwhile, those heading to Austin in March can catch Jimmy Cliff at SXSW. He's playing one of the free shows at Waterloo Records and the official Gorilla Vs Bear showcase at Hype Hotel.

He's also playing Coachellas this year.

A set of European tour dates is listed below...

Continue reading "Jimmy Cliff playing opening night @ Celebrate Brooklyn in Prospect Park, Coachella & SXSW"

The Year is 1984, and on the rural East Coast of New Zealand "Thriller" is changing kids' lives. Inspired by the Oscar nominated Two Cars, One Night, BOY is the hilarious and heartfelt coming-of-age tale about heroes, magic, and Michael Jackson. BOY is a dreamer who loves Michael Jackson. He lives with his brother ROCKY, a tribe of deserted cousins and his Nan. Boy's other hero, his father, ALAMEIN, is the subject of Boy's fantasies, and he imagines him as a deep sea diver, war hero and a close relation of Michael Jackson (he can even dance like him). In reality he's "in the can for robbery". When Alamein returns home after 7 years away, Boy is forced to confront the man he thought he remembered, find his own potential and learn to get along without the hero he had been hoping for.

BrooklynVegan is proud to present a free screening of BOY at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on Tuesday, February 28. The movie starts at 8 PM and will be followed by a Michael Jackson dance party in the front bar at 10 PM.

Like our 2010 screening of Exit Through the Gift Shop and our 2011 screening of Senna, Knitting Factory will be filled with chairs and the screening is first come, first served.

Taika Waititi is also funding the American release of the film on Kickstarter. As of this post, there's 8 days to go and the $90,000 is just under halfway met.

Watch the film trailer below...

Continue reading "BV Presents a free screening of 'BOY' @ Knitting Factory Tues."

Southpaw: End of an era (Closing Event)
Southpaw: End of an era
Hosted by: Combat Jack
Live interview & slide show from 5-7pm w/ Danny Castro & David "Chino" Villorente
Live interview & brief performances from 7-10pm w/ Artifacts, Jean Grae, Keith Murray & Masta Ace
Cypher with Live Backing Band Dujeous
6 turntable DJ Cypher featuring DJ Eclipse, Rich Medina & Stretch Armstrong
Southpaw Forever

21+ w/ ID
admission: Free, Please arrive early
door time: 4:30pm

Meanwhile, you can also still head to the Park Slope club for its second-to-last night, one that will be filled with Americana, tonight (2/19).

Thurston Moore & Samara Lubelski in Austin (more by Tim Griffin)

As you may have seen on BV Austin (and above), Thurston Moore brought his current tour to Austin last week and played sold out show at St. David's Church, not long after his NYC show at the Allen Room as part of the American Songbook Series (that Tune-Yards and Bill Callahan also played)...

"Why can't we play facing this way?" Thurston Moore asked during his February 2nd acoustic, solo concert at New York's Allen Room, turning from the audience and gazing through the floor-to-ceiling glass behind his band. In fact, he did. Halfway through "Ono Soul," from his 1995 album Psychic Hearts, the Sonic Youth guitarist swung around toward the winter's-night view across Central Park, holding his instrument over his head, then aiming it at his small amp like a divining rod, drawing out a broad drone of distortion." [Rolling Stone]

Thurston's band included Samara Lubelski on violin, and that's who will be playing with him next Thursday (2/23) at Issue Project Room in Brooklyn as part of a poetry event called "Littoral: Flowers & Cream" and along with sets (or poetry?) by Anselm Berrigan, John Coletti, and Ben Estes & Elaine Kahn. Admission is FREE, but you need a ticket.

Speaking of Issue Project Room, Ensemble Pamplemousse plays there tonight (2/17).

Speaking of St. David's Church in Austin, Islands plays there tonight.

Speaking of churches in Austin, Pitchfork announced their SXSW showcase.

Continue reading "Thurston Moore & Samara Lubelski playing free Brooklyn show (RSVP), played the Allen Room & Austin (pics & video)"

BrooklynVegan and Brooklyn Brewery present a day of festivities with Delta Spirit on February 25th, in honor of the band's new self-titled album which is out via Rounder Records on March 13.

Beginning at 3pm, Delta Spirit will invade 3 bars in Williamsburg and Greenpoint to play select tracks from their new album. By the 3rd stop, fans will have heard the album for the first time in its entirety. They will then finish up with an invite/contest-winner-only, intimate, live show at Public Assembly at 6:45pm (see details below on how to win tickets to this show).

Continue reading "crawl Brooklyn pubs with Delta Spirit & then see them for free @ Public Assembly (enter to win tickets)"

The Drums posted a Ronettes cover to their Facebook in honor of the holiday today, though you need to "Like" them to hear it." "Hey it's Jonny. We wanted to buy you something but we made you something instead. It's Valentines Day so don't be shy with your love. See you soon"

And you can see them soon. The Drums play a free, late show at WIP (Work In Progress) in NYC tonight (2/14) along with DJ Miss Guy and others. You need to RSVP.

You can go after you catch their Frenchkiss labelmate Devin at Pianos, also a free show.

Devin @ Public Assembly in 2010 (more by Leia Jospe)

The Brooklyn-based Devin, who recently opened for Suckers (also on Frenchkiss Records) at Knitting Factory, and, as mentioned, JEFF The Brotherhood at Maxwells, will be playing a free Valentine's Day show Tuesday at Pianos before heading out on tour with the Heartless Bastards. That tour hits Webster Hall on 2/24. Hacienda are also on the bill. Tickets for the Webster Hall show are still on sale.

The Pianos show is part of a 2-floor, free party that also includes downstairs sets by St. Lucia (part of their February residency at the LES venue) and Tiny Victories, and upstairs music by MNDR (DJ set), Make Out & Psychobuildings. Flyer below.

Devin's debut LP, Romancing, is out on April 10th, via Frenckiss who also released his 3-song EP at the end of 2011. The full album tracklist and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Devin announces LP, playing free NYC show w/ DJ MNDR, touring w/ Heartless Bastards (dates)"

The Babies @ Cake Shop - 2/6/2012 (more by Jessica Amaya)

285 Kent, the most difficult venue to keep track of in terms of who is playing, is hosting a show TONIGHT (Thursday, 2/9):

===| THURSDAY 2/9 @ 285 KENT AVE |====
:: Alex Bleeker and the Freaks
:::: the Babies
:::::: Darlings
:::::::: Life Size Maps --- ep release
:::::::::: Heaven's Gate
285 Kent Ave @ South 1st | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
L-Bedford, G-Metropolitan, JM-Marcy | 8pm | $7-$10 sliding scale donation | all ages

Continue reading "Vivian Girls playing free Fashion Week event; The Babies are at 285 Kent tonight with Alex Bleeker"

Not to be confused with the BBG-manned day party we're doing at Scoot Inn on 3/16, or our TBA official SXSW showcases, BrooklynVegan will be holding it down on 3 stages for 4 days straight at Hotel Vegas and Vostead Lounge in Austin this year (1500 E. 6th Street). Save the dates (March 14-17, 2012), and stay tuned for lineups and much more.

UPDATE - LINEUPS ANNOUNCED

Wednesday lineup HERE
Thursday lineup HERE
Friday lineup HERE
Saturday lineup HERE

---

We also have THREE official BrooklynVegan showcases - Tuesday (which Alex Maas of the Black Angels is playing a song at), Wednesday, and Friday - and a Saturday metal day party at Lovejoys, AND a bridge show.

Screaming Females in the studio (more by Kirstie Shanley)

After spending some time in the studio with the great Steve Albini, Screaming Females have announced the fruits of their labor, Ugly, due on April 3rd. Check out the cover art and track list below. Don Giovanni will do the honors, and you can catch the band reppin' their label at the previously discussed Don Giovanni showcase on Feb 11th at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets are still available.

If you're heading to MHoW, make sure and slide by the merch table to scoop up a limited It All Means Nothing 7" available via the band. The song will act as the band's first single from the LP, and will ALSO be available at their just-announced NYC show at Generation Records the next day (2/12).

The Generation show is FREE, open to all ages, and the start of a week long record store tour that ends at Permanent Records in Chicago on 2/19. Check out all dates along with the record info, and a video of the Screamales on NPR (where they play "It All Means Nothing"), below...

Continue reading "Screaming Females reveal more album info, going on a record store tour (dates)"

Portugal. The Man at SXSW 2011 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

Pandora is hosting a show and it's happening in NYC on Tuesday (1/17) at Bowery Ballroom with Portugal. The Man. The show is free and invitations were sent to Pandora listeners with a Portugal. The Man station or who recently thumbed-up a track by the band. However, if you aren't either of those things and still want to go, a limited number of free passes will be given away at the venue at 7 PM on the day of the show.

You can also catch the band three days later. Portugal. The Man will stick around NYC for one more show before they head overseas for an international tour and play Brooklyn Bowl on January 20 (update: with Sam Champion). Tickets for "Freaks Ball XII" go on sale today (1/13) at noon.

All dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Portugal. The Man playing free Bowery show, ticketed Bowl show (dates)"

Sleigh Bells at MHOW in May (more by Amanda Hatfield)

RCRDLBL and Bing are presenting a show at the Eyebeam Art + Technology Center on December 15 with Smoke and Mirrors and special guest Diplo. The 21+ show is free but RSVP is required. The flier for this show is below.

Diplo also just announced a Florida tour with Sleigh Bells and Liturgy. The tour, which has been dubbed the 'Paradise Lost' tour, will be in support of the new Sleigh Bells album, Reign of Terror, which is due out on February 14 via Mom + Pop. No music from the album has been released yet (except for the riff-heavy album trailer) and a lot of the track titles share names with other popular songs and/or bands ("Born to Lose," "Leader of the Pack," "Comeback Kid," "Never Say Die," "D.O.A." etc). The album trailer and tracklist are below.

Speaking of Liturgy, they recently recorded their first ever Daytrotter Session, playing songs off of their Aesthetica album, which came out earlier this year. You can listen and download the entire session for free HERE.

All dates, video, fliers, and other stuff below...

Continue reading "Diplo playing free NYC show, going on tour w/ Liturgy & Sleigh Bells (who announced a new album)"

James Murphy at Terminal 5 in March (more by Andrew St. Clair)

HARD Events and Mouth Taped Shut are presenting five free shows in five cities this month (Chicago, NYC, London, San Francisco, LA). NYC gets theirs this Saturday (12/10) with Bloody Beetroots (DJ), James Murphy (DJ), Proxy, and Eye. The show is free but RSVP is required.

James Murphy will DJ again a few days later at Brooklyn Bazaar on December 15 with Poolside, The Crystal Ark Party Machine, Midnight Magic, and DJ Justine D. Tickets are still available for that and for the show happening in the same venue the next night.

All HARD dates and a flier below...

Continue reading "free HARD shows in 5 cities, James Murphy in NYC this Saturday with Bloody Beetroots and more"

Ximena Sarinana at the Parish on 11/21 (more by Tim Griffin)

Dawes and Hacienda played the free Rolling Stone show today (12/6) in Openhouse Gallery's pop-up park (201 Mulberry Street ). Dawes went on at 1 PM. Check out a video of them warming up below.

RS will continue their fest during the day on Monday (12/12) with performances by Freelance Whales (1 pm), Ximena Sarinana (2:30 pm), Deer Tick (4 pm), and MNDR (5:30 pm). RSVP is free but not does not guarantee admission. Details below.

Monday's show falls in the middle of Ximena Sarinana's tour which hit The Parish in Austin last month, and hits Rockwood Music Hall the next night (12/13) for an early and a late show, both with Graffiti6. Tickets for the early show and the late show are available. All dates below.

Tickets are also still on sale for Deer Tick's New Year's Eve show at Brooklyn Bowl with Virgin Forest, who plays Glasslands on Wednesday (12/7) with Deer Tick's Ian O'Neil and Cat Martino. Tickets are still on sale for that show too.

All dates, video, and RSVP details below...

Continue reading "Ximena Sarinana on tour, playing free Rolling Stone show w/ Deer Tick, MNDR & Freelance Whales"

Mick Collins of The Dirtbombs on stage with The Gories at FFF5 (more by BBG)


The Dirtbombs have a couple months to prepare to be sea-worthy, but until then have a pair of Sailor Jerry-presented FREE-with-RSVP gigs scheduled with White Mystery. The 21+ shows go down on 12/16 at the Subterranean in Chicago and 12/17 at Gramercy Theater in NYC. RSVP now. Flyer below.

The Dirtbombs were last in NYC in June with Dennis Coffey, and recently released a covers album of Detroit Techno.

Continue reading "The Dirtbombs schedule free NYC show at Gramercy (RSVP)"

Dawes @ La Zona Rosa in August (more by Tim Griffin)

Dawes, who is playing the WFUV Holiday Show at Beacon Theater tonight (12/5), and who hit Zuccotti Park the other day, and who are playing sold out shows at Maxwell's on Tuesday and Wednesday, are one of the bands taking part in this free show Rolling Stone is doing during business hours on Tuesday (RSVP necessary, but does not guarantee admission). Details on the flyer below...

Continue reading "Dawes & Hacienda playing free RS event TuesDAY"