Hits From The Blog

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Bust Out The Hula-Hoop

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Siren Fest '06

The initial line-up for the 6th installment of the Village Voice's Siren Music Festival has been announced. Here's the hipster approved artists so far...

Stars
Tapes 'N Tapes
The Stills
The Cribs
Celebration
She Wants Revenge

The festival is taking place on Saturday, July 15th out in Coney Island and it's free - so head on out have a hot dog at Nathan's, ride the Cyclone and listen to some live music.

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

High Line Festival

David Bowie will be the "curator" for the first annual High Line Festival set to take place in May of 2007. The festival will take place at venues along the abandoned elevated subway line known as the High Line - where a new public park is being created. Read more about it here. For more on the High Line head here.

Here's some live Bowie....

David Bowie - 1983-07-13 - Montreal, CA

David Bowie - 1976-03-17 - Boston Garden - Boston, MA

Prints Plus

Tom Marshall has a launched a new website dedicated to selling posters specifically designed from song lyrics he's written for Phish & Amfibian. There will only be 230 of each poster produced - which will be hand signed and numbered by Marshall himself. As of now there are four posters currently on sale - Grind, Farmhouse, Rift and Theme From The Bottom.

Each poster sell for $42.50, but you can buy all four for $150.

Sam Roberts Band @ Mercury Lounge

I'm going to try and hit the Sam Roberts Band show tonight at Mercury Lounge - depends on my mood after tonight's Yankees/Red Sox game. They're a great rock 'n roll band from our neighbors to the North - apparantly they're quite huge up there too. Head on over to their MySpace page to hear some tunes.

They've got a new album coming out next week called Chemical City, but if your a fan of hook-laden rock pick up their last album We Were Born In A Flame which will tide you over till the new one comes out.

I Love Tuesdays

Here are the purchases for the week....

Grandaddy - Just Like The Fambly Cat
Paul Simon - Surprise
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
Neil Young - Living With War

Monday, May 08, 2006

Pearl Jam @ Irving Plaza Reviews

Head on over to Brooklyn Vegan for some reviews and pictures from Friday night's Pearl Jam show at Irving Plaza. Check it out her e.

Seeing Pearl Jam in less then a month out in the Jerz with My Morning Jacket. Never seen them before, looking forward to it. I missed out on the whole grunge thing and I really don't have any legitimate excuses for it. I was in high school when Ten came out and should have been full of teen angst, but I think I was too busy listening to Billy Joel cds to pay attention to other things - I've certainly made up for lost time though.

moe.down, vol. 7

Friday, May 05, 2006

Panic Party At Irving Plaza

All you NYC-area Spreadheads check this out....

If you pre-order Widespread Panic's new album, Earth to America, you will have access to bonus material including: Dave Schools narrating a home video of a Compass Point studio session, album art wallpaper, an Earth to America Vinyl bonus track, video footage from the New Years 05 show and exclusive band interviews. If you pre-order by May 29th, you might by invited to the record release party with the band in New York City at Irving Plaza on June 13th! 50 people (and a guest) from the pre-order list will be invited to hear the band perform the NEW CD live. Invitees will be notified on May 30th.

Pretty cool stuff. If that doesn't entice you to pre-order the album I don't know what will.

Here's some Panic from their recent shows in Ragleigh...

Widespread Panic - 2006-04-21 - Walnut Creek Amphitheater - Raleigh, NC

Widespread Panic - 2006-04-22 - Alltel Pavilion - Raleigh, NC

Burning Oak's - Summer Camp Series

Recently stumbled onto another great music blog - Burning Oak. Right now they've got an ongoing series previewing all the artists that performing at this year's Summer Camp Music Festival - with mini bios and tons of MP3s to listen to - so check it out here. With over 40 bands performing it's a great way to find out about some of the lesser known acts and a great way to brush up on the ones you do know. Enjoy!!

Here's some music from last year's fest....

Groovatron - 2005-05-26 - Three Sisters Park - Chillicothe, IL

moe. - 2005-05-27 - Three Sisters Park - Chillcothe, IL

Donna The Buffalo - 2005-05-27 - Three Sisters Park - Chillicothe, IL

Smokestack - 2005-05-27 - Three Sisters Park - Chillicothe, IL

Hot Buttered Rum String Band - 2005-05-28 - Three Sisters Park - Sunshine Stage - Chillicothe, IL

Family Groove Company - 2005-05-28 - Three Sisters Park - Chillicothe, IL

moe. - 2005-05-29 - Three Sisters Park - Chillicothe, IL

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Latest Musical Obsession

Just wanted to share my latest musical obsession - Band Of Horses. If you dig My Morning Jacke t you're definitely going to love these guys. I've pretty much been listening to their album non-stop for the last week and a half. Check out their MySpace page here and then go and buy 15 or 20 copies of their cd Everything All The Time for yourself and your friends. They're going to be on tour starting next month - here's the dates...

May 2006
27 - George, WA - Sasquatch Festival
31 - Boise, ID - Neurolux

June 2006
3 - Fargo, ND - The Aquarium
4 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry
6, 7 - Chicago, IL - Schubas Tavern
8 - Bloomington, IN - The Bluebird
9 - Cincinnati, OH - Alchemize
10 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
13 - Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace
16 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
17 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's
20 - Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle Music Hall
21 - Columbia, SC - New Brookland Tavern West
22 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl
24 - Houston, TX - Walter's on Washington
25 - Austin, TX - The Parish
26 - Denton, TX - Hailey's
30 - Los Angeles, CA - The Echo

July 2006
1 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent
29 - Chicago, IL - Pitchfork Festival @ Union Park

The Bowery Ballroom show is already sold out, so don't get shut out in your town.

NYC Album Art

The Gothamist has got some great posts on album cover art that was taken in NYC. Check it out here - some cool stuff if you're a music geek and NYC resident (hence my interest).

FYI this is probably my favorite NYC cover art....

In honor of that here's some live Dylan from his latest never-ending tour...

Bob Dylan - 2006-04-30 - Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex - BJCC Arena - Birmingham, Alabama

Bob Dylan - 2006-04-24 - Orpheum Theatre - Memphis, TN

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Self-Promotion

Here's my latest review for Glide Magazine...

The Derek Trucks Band - Songlines

Theme Time Radio Hour Debut

Bob Dylan made his XM DJ'ing debut this morning with the premiere of Theme Time Radio Hour With Bob Dylan - here's a review of the show. Dylan's debut theme was weather, here's the playlist....

Blow, Wind, Blow - Muddy Waters
You Are My Sunshine - Jimmie Davis
California Sun - Joe Jones
I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine - Dean Martin
Just Walking in the Rain - The Prisonaires
The Wind Cries Mary - Jimi Hendrix
Come Rain or Come Shine - Judy Garland
It's Raining - Irma Thomas
Raining in my Heart - Slim Harpo
Jamaica Hurricane - Lord Beginner
Let the Four Winds Blow - Fats Domino
After the Clouds Roll Away - The Consolers
Summer Wind - Frank Sinatra
Stormy Weather - The Spaniels
A Place in the Sun - Stevie Wonder (Italian version)
Uncloudy Day - The Staple Singers
Keep on the Sunny Side - The Carter Family

Dylan's show can be heard on Deep Tracks (XM 40) every Wednesday at 10 A.M. with encores on Fridays 6 P.M., Sundays 8 A.M. & Mondays 8 P.M. The show can also be heard on The Village (XM 15) Thursdays 5 P.M., Wednesdays 11 A.M. and Mondays 5 A.M. & 11 P.M.

If anyone out there has XM and can hook me up with a copy of the show it would be greatly appreciated - would love to hear it.

GRAB Bag

Here are the dates for the Phil & Friends / G.R.A.B. tour - yeah dumb acronym, but I didn't come up with it...

6/28 Alltel Pavilion at Walnut Creek - Raleigh, NC
6/30 Tweeter Center At The Waterfront - Camden, NJ
7/1 PNC Bank Arts Center - Holmdel, NJ*
7/2 SPAC - Saratoga Springs, NY
7/3 New England Dodge Music Center - Hartford, CT*
7/7 Nikon at Jones Beach - Wantagh, NY
7/8 Darien Lakes PAC - Darien Center, NY
7/9 Bethel Woods Center For The Arts - Bethel, NY
7/11 Toyota Pavilion – Scranton, PA*
7/12 Champlain Valley Fairgrounds - Essex Junction, VT*

* Trey, Mike, and The Duo will close

Presale tickets start this Friday at at noon, public on-sale is May 12th.

Here's the latest shows from Ernie...

Trey Anastasio - 2006-04-27 - The Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA

Trey Anastasio - 2006-04-26 - The Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

I Love Tuesdays

I didn't actually buy this, but will certainly be borrowing it from my roommate who did...

Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam (a.k.a. The Avocado Album)

Monday, May 01, 2006

Radiohead Tourdates

I know it may be blasphemous to say that I have a music blog and I'm not much of a Radiohead fan - it's like saying I still like the Arctic Monkeys. I think I decided I wasn't going to like them when OK Computer came out just because everyone was gushing over it. Inevitably though when my roommate has put his music on random play and a song comes up that I'm digging and have no idea what it is it's Radiohead - so maybe I should start listening to them, I'd probably actually like them. Anyway here's the initial dates for their summer tour. They're playing a bunch of small theaters for now....

06.01.06 - Tower Theatre - Philadelphia, PA
06.02.06 - Tower Theatre - Philadelphia, PA
06.04.06 - Bank Of America Pavilion - Boston, MA
06.05.06 - Bank Of America Pavilion - Boston, MA
06.07.06 - Hummingbird Center - Toronto, ON
06.08.06 - Hummingbird Center - Toronto, ON
06.10.06 - Salle Wilred Pelletier at Placed des Arts - Montreal, QC
06.11.06 - Salle Wilred Pelletier at Placed des Arts - Montreal, QC
06.13.06 - The Theatre at Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
06.14.06 - The Theatre at Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
06.17.06 - Bonnaroo - Manchester, TN
06.19.06 - Auditorium Theater - Chicago, IL
06.20.06 - Auditorium Theater - Chicago, IL
06.23.06 - Greek Theatre - Berkeley, CA
06.24.06 - Greek Theatre - Berkeley, CA
06.26.06 - Bayside - San Diego, CA
06.27.06 - Bayside - San Diego, CA
06.29.06 - Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
06.30.06 - Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

And here's some live stuff for ya....

Radiohead - 2003-09-23 - Shoreline Amphitheatre - Mountain View, CA

Radiohead - 2003-10-06 - HiFi Buys Amphitheatre - Atlanta, GA

Radiohead - 1995-12-04 - Paradiso - Amsterdam, Holland

Sunday, April 30, 2006

I Love Tuesdays...Sunday Edition

Was out and about and picked up a couple of cds today....

Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions
Lowell George - Thanks I'll Eat It Here

Friday, April 28, 2006

97X - Bam! The Future of Rock And Roll

This is a topic I've written about or mention a few times before on this blog - how much classic rock radio sucks in New York. If you're between the ages of let's say 27 - 40 and were into music you probably spent a good amount of your high school days listening to classic rock radio. 102.7 WNEW was my personal fave - they played great classic rock (the obvious stuff and what now radio programmers have dubbed "deep cuts" as well as great new music). This was the station that was the inspiration for The Velvet Underground's song "Rock And Roll". It's also the station that I happened to first hear Phish on too back around the time that Hoist came out.

Anyway over the course of the last 10 or so years radio went through some weird times. First New York lost it's classic rock stations to the mid-90s sensation known as alternative music. When programmers finally came to their sense they came back with a watered down version of what we used to have - resorting to playlists and thinking that somehow we wanted to hear the same songs repeated over and over again. So what's my point with all of this? Well after hearing about HD Radio and that it was streamed over the internet I decided to check it out. So for the last few hours I've been listening to Q104.3's HD broadcast and have to say I'm pretty impressed with it so far. If you don't have the money to pony up for satellite radio this is definitely a great alternative. The mix of tunes has been pretty solid. Sure there is some crap like Bon Jovi, but at least it's not "You Give Love A Bad Name". Here's a sample of what I've heard today...

Frank Zappa - Peaches En Regalia
ZZ Top - Have Mercy/Jesus Left Chicago
The Beatles - Lovely Rita
The Doors - Love Here Madly
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - Katmandu (Live)
CSN&Y - Wooden Ships
Elton John - The Bitch Is Back
Steely Dan - some song that wasn't Reelin In The Years or Rikki Don't Lose That Number
Grateful Dead - Uncle John's Band
Edgar Winter - Free Ride
Neil Young - My, My, Hey, Hey
Motley Crue - Home Sweet Home
Led Zeppelin - Communication Breakdown

Ok sure this isn't a groundbreaking playlist, but if it's definitely better what they usually play.

Does this make me want to go out and purchase an HD Radio receiver? No. It does give me hope that maybe commercial radio might have a future though. Read all about HD Radio here. Here's a link to Q104.3's HD stream, which also links you to other HD broadcasts.

Thursday, April 27, 2006

St. Elsewhere

I know I'm a little late on the Gnarls Barkley thing, but if you want to hear what all the hype is about you can download some MP3s here. Seems like the kids across the pond are over the fascination with Arctic Monkeys and on onto this - those crazy Brits. Read about their chart breaking success here.

Benevento/Russo Quartet...Update

Well it's official, this just in from Relix.com....

Trey Anastasio has confirmed that he will tour with the Benevento/Russo Duo featuring Mike Gordon this summer. The former Phish guitarist has recently recorded four songs with Gordon and the Duo in Brooklyn for his next album, Bar 17, including an orchestra-bolstered version of “Goodbye Head.” In addition, Anastasio’s solo album will include contributions from Cyro Baptista and selections from the Barn sessions recorded before Shine. “I’m kind of getting back to the record I was working on before Shine,” Anastasio told Sirius Jam_On this afternoon. “It’s more in line with what people would expect from me.” Anastasio, Gordon, Russo and Benevento will embark on a three-week tour with Phil Lesh this summer. In addition to Gordon, who has toured with the Duo on several occasions, Page McConnell and Jon Fishman have both recently jammed with the organ and drums combo. The Benevento/Russo Duo will issue its next studio album, Play, Pause, Stop, later this summer.

Stay tuned for dates. Should be an interesting tour - can't wait.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Freedom Of Speech Tour

The on again, off again, on again, off again, on again (you get the idea) super group known as Crosby, Stills, Nash and whenever he feels like it Young will be back on the road again this summer. I saw them back in 2000 and it was a great show - them boys can sing - and when Neil Young actually decides he wants to get along with them it's even better. You can check out the tourdates here.

What are the odds that Neil walks off the tour before it's over??

Here's some classic and current CSN&Y for ya....

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - 1974-07-13 - Oakland Alameda County Coliseum - Oakland, CA

Crosby, Stills , Nash & Young - 2002-04-14 - Ice Palace - Tampa, FL

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - 2005-10-29 - Shoreline Amphitheatre - Bridge School Benefit Concert - Mountain View,CA

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

I Love Tuesdays...Part 2

Got these cds in the mail today to review for Glide Magazine...

DJ Logic - The Zen Of Logic
Shooter Jennings - Electric Rodeo
Dr. John - Right Place, Right Time - Live At Tipitina's: Mardi Gras '89

TLG @ CBGB's

The Green Apple Music Fest was this past weekend - while I only caught the Jammys because I had Yankee tickets and my brother's birthday dinner, Ace Cowboy attended a bunch of shows and blogged about it all. Check out his review of Tea Leaf Green's show at CBGB's - apparantly it was a life changing experience, from his review it looks like he's ready to quit his job to go out on TLG summer tour and sell veggie burritos.

Here's the show to download...

Tea Leaf Green - 2006-04-22 - CBGB's - New York City, NY

I Love Tuesdays...Hipster Band Edition

I didn't realize how much of a hipster music fan I was until today when A) bought 4 indie-rock band cds that I've read about on blogs B) bought them all at Other Music and C) have a music blog of my own. With that being said here are the purchases for the week, I need to go and do something unironic now...

Tapes 'N Tapes - The Loon
Jose Gonzalez - Veneer
Band Of Horses - Everything All The Time
Feathers - Feathers

Free Music This Summer In NYC

If you can't afford to hit all those "benefit" shows in Central Park there is still plenty of free music happening around town. Here's this year's line-up for the River To River Festival....

River to River® Festival 2006 Schedule of Events – as of 4.18.06

Thursday, 6/1/2006
River to River Launch Parade
Various Sites in Lower Manhattan, 12-noon – 2:00pm
This is no ordinary parade – in a River to River parade, EVERYONE can march. Join us as we present characters on stilts, do it yourself inflatable architecture, gigantic masks, brass bands, an orchestra of bicycle instruments and more! Produced in association with veteran parade producers Great Small Works. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder with Andy Statman, Carrie Rodriguez and Citigrass
Castle Clinton, 7:00pm
New York Tribute to Bluegrass
The legendary Ricky Skaggs will headline a Big Apple tribute to Bluegrass music at one of the oldest music venues in New York City. Ricky will be joined by Klezmer sensation Andy Statman, Brooklyn-by-way-of-Austin fiddler and songstress, Carrie Rodriguez, and Urban Bluegrass entrepreneurs Citigrass. Tickets are distributed two per person on a first-come first-served basis outside of Castle Clinton, at 5pm day of show. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Friday, 6/2/06
Super Furry Animals
South Street Seaport, Pier 17, 7:00pm
Fusing a number of disparate musical genres - including power pop, punk-rock, techno, and progressive rock – this Welsh legend creates shimmering, melodic, irreverent, and willfully artsy rock & roll. With their ever-amazing visuals, this will no doubt be a rare evening you just shouldn’t miss. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Wednesday, 6/7/2006=
Jimmy Delgado Salso Con Dulzura Orquestra
Wagner Park, 7:00pm
World-renowned timbalero, Jimmy Delgado has played with several of the greatest musicians in Salsa music today including Eddie Palmieri, Ruben Blades and Tito Puentes. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Tuesday, 6/13/2006
Eels with Smoosh
World Financial Center Plaza, 7:00pm
Possessing a nearly pathologic dedication toward songcraft, Mark Oliver Everett, or E, front man of the ever-changing Eels roster has amassed an impressive song catalogue and picked up countless fans along the way. Making music since the age of six and releasing albums since 1992, virtually every one of his records has scored critical success and raves from the media. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Wednesday, 6/14/2006
Ralph Stanley with Tres Chicas
Rockefeller Park, 7:00pm
Considered “one of the most important country musicians in the world,” Ralph Stanley has been honing his art since the 1940s. With nearly 200 albums, including his latest A Distant Land To Roam: Songs of The Carter Family, and three Grammys® to his credit, Stanley’s music is steeped in the rich culture of Appalachia and delivered in a high, forlorn tenor that seems to convey all the world’s grief and regret. Opening the show, Tres Chicas (Caitlin Cary, Lynn Blakey and Tonya Lamm) sing beautiful harmonies that convey sweet heartache and hope. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Tuesday, 6/20/2006
Son Volt
World Financial Center Plaza, 7:00pm
Mining America’s history – past and, especially, present – for source material, Son Volt’s front man Jay Farrar blends beautiful, quiet and often stark acoustic songs with noisy, searing country-punk-flavored rock songs. His work often seeks out the ghosts of America’s discordant or forgotten past. He converses at length with them, and writes songs that stake claim to a better future. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Thursday, 6/22/2006
REVEALED
World Financial Center Plaza
Performance dates: June 22–25, 12-noon – 2:00pm
Installation dates: May 24-June 25, Wednesday–Sunday, 12-noon – 6:00pm
A public art installation/event by site-artist Stephan Koplowitz, Revealed is a two-fold public art installation. First, as a sculptural object designed by KBAS (Keith Kaseman and Julie Beckman), it is a room-sized, walk-in camera obscura that offers the public the unique experience of one of the world’s first imaging technologies. Second, it serves as a platform for Koplowitz and his performers-in-residence to investigate the creation of site-specific events. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Wednesday, 6/28/2006
Dr. John
Battery Park City Rockefeller Park, 7:00pm
On the heels of his new album, Mercernary: The Songs of Johnny Mercer, legendary singer and pianist Dr. John pays tribute to this giant of American pop music. The New Orleans native will interpret a handful of Mercer’s classic tunes live through his personalized blend of zydeco and creole funk. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Friday, 6/30/2006
Amy Rigby and Robbie Fulks
South Street Seaport, Pier 17, 7:00pm
This critically acclaimed New York singer is known for her witty, outspoken lyrics and country-influenced rock sound. Robbie Fulks displays an offbeat, sometimes dark, sense of humor with his country/roots-rock hybrid. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Tuesday, 7/4/2006
Belle and Sebastian
Battery Park, 3:30pm
Our annual Independence Day Concert showcases the Scottish sensation Belle and Sebastian. This seven-piece band has an intimate, majestic sound that is equal parts folk-rock and '60s pop. Bring a blanket, enjoy the vistas and music! Tickets required. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

River to River Presents Macy’s Fireworks Spectacular Downtown
Various East River viewing locations, 9:00pm
Ignite the lights of freedom! It's the nation's biggest birthday bash, with over 120,000 bursts of color and light! Witness a dazzling tribute to America with this dramatic display of breathtaking pyrotechnics overlooking New York's East River and South Seaport. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Thursday, 7/6/2006
Mates of State
Castle Clinton National Monument in Battery Park, 7:00pm
Married indie-pop duo, Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel, have been performing as Mates of State since 1997. With a relentless touring schedule, they have honed their skills live and gained fans all across the country. Their newest CD, Bring It Back, showcases their catchy, melodic pop songs. Tickets are distributed two per person on a first-come first-served basis outside of Castle Clinton, at 5pm day of show. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Monday, 7/10/2006
Cameron Carpenter, organ
Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts at Pace University, 7:30pm
America's young organist and Julliard graduate Cameron Carpenter has dazzled audiences wherever he performs. He has been enthusiastically acclaimed for his passionate music making, virtuosity and stylistic flair. Tickets required - available after 4pm day of show or reserved in advance via an email to culture@Pace.edu.
www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Wednesday, 7/12/2006
Maude Maggart with Tony Desare
Battery Park City Rockefeller Park, 7:00pm
Cabaret phenom Maude Maggart began her career in 2001 in West Hollywood at The Gardenia, legendary launching pad of her mentors Andrea Marcovicci and Michael Feinstein. Receiving rave reviews for her shows and albums, the chanteuse embodies a past musical era with a penchant for the early 20th century song and a voice imbued with an eerie, haunting quality. The coolly elegant singer, songwriter and pianist Tony DeSare, leading an equally cool jazz trio, will open the show with his blend of American Songbook classics and original tunes. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Thursday, 7/13/2006
Okkervil River
Castle Clinton National Monument in Battery Park, 7:00pm
Okkervil River’s original sound - profoundly lyrical with folk-rock inspirations and alternative rock sways - will bring their visionary sound to Battery Park. Tickets are distributed two per person on a first-come first-served basis outside of Castle Clinton, at 5pm day of show. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Friday, 7/14/2006
Dave Alvin and the Guilty Men with Chatham County Line
South Street Seaport, Pier 17, 7:00pm
Dave Alvin, former front man of the legendary group the Blasters, is an instrumental figure in the roots-rock scene of the early eighties. His solo work masterfully blends blues, country and folk influences with rock and roll. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Friday, 7/14/06 – Saturday, 8/19/06
Buteo Huang: Starry Sky Kite Exhibition
World Financial Center Winter Garden, 9:00am–11:00pm daily
The Taiwan Today: Traditional Arts, Contemporary Artists festival continues with an exhibition of 258 dazzling kites by award-winning kite master and designer Buteo Huang, widely known for introducing groundbreaking innovation to the kiting world.
www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Monday, 7/17/2006
Svet Stoyanov, percussion; Joseph Lin, violin
Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts at Pace University, 7:30pm
Bulgarian-born percussion phenomenon Svet Stoyanov returns to River to River following his triumphant debut last year. The Boston Globe has described violinist Joseph Lin as “simply stupendous.” Tickets required - available after 4pm day of show or reserved in advance via an email to culture@Pace.edu.
www.RiverToRiverNYC.com.

Tuesday, 7/18/2006
Terry Allen
World Financial Center Plaza, 7:00pm
Among country music’s constellation of stars, Terry Allen may shine brighter than the rest. Combining his talents as a visual artist, playwright and musician, he crafts exquisite, image-rich songs in which he applies words and instrumental textures with the skill of a master painter. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Wednesday, 7/19/2006
Conjunto Clasico
South Street Seaport, Pier 17, 7:00pm
This groundbreaking Salsa band merges New York-style salsa music with Puerto Rican influences to create a sensational new sound. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Little Feat
Rockefeller Park, 7:00pm
Formed in Los Angeles in 1969, Little Feat was one of the most popular Southern California Roots Rock bands of their era. Bringing strains of blues, R&B, country, jazz and rock styles together to create a signature sound, the band has amassed a devoted following of fans. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Thursday, 7/20/2006
Josh Rouse
Castle Clinton National Monument in Battery Park, 7:00pm
Having lived in almost 10 U.S. states and recorded his last album in Spain, Rouse is set to perform his passionate and melancholy music under the open sky at Castle Clinton. Tickets are distributed two per person on a first-come first-served basis outside of Castle Clinton, at 5pm day of show. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Thursday, 7/20/2006
Sugar Hill Gang
South Street Seaport, Pier 17, 7:00pm
This pioneering group from The Bronx is one of the most influential artists in the history of rap music and modern R&B. "Rapper's Delight" was the first rap song to hit the top 40 charts and helped give rap worldwide appeal. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Monday, 7/24/2006
Thomas Meglioranza, baritone; Reiko Uchida, piano
Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts at Pace University, 7:30pm
American baritone Thomas Meglioranza has been hailed for his compelling artistry and the expressive warmth of his voice. Pianist Reiko Uchida who has performed solo and chamber music concerts throughout the world to great acclaim will accompany. Tickets required - available after 4pm day of show or reserved in advance via an email to culture@Pace.edu.
www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Tuesday, 7/25/2006
Dianne Reeves
World Financial Center Plaza, 7:00pm
Dianne Reeves is perhaps the pre-eminent jazz vocalist in the world today. As a result of her virtuosity, improvisational prowess, and unique R&B and jazz stylings, she was awarded the Grammy® for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for three consecutive recordings – a Grammy first in any vocal category. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Wednesday, 7/26/2006
The Spinners
Battery Park City Rockefeller Park, 7:00pm
Boasting four lead singers, The Spinners have always made timeless music with a classic group sound and approach that never loses its universal appeal. Throughout the years, they have earned twelve Gold Records and have climbed to the top of both pop and R&B charts. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Wednesday, 7/26/2006
Ray Sepulveda
South Street Seaport, Pier 17, 7:00pm
This singer, who got his start in the New York City Salsa scene of the early eighties, has released six solo albums and consistently thrills audiences with his enthusiastic live performances. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Thursday, 7/27/2006
The Hold Steady
Castle Clinton National Monument in Battery Park, 7:00pm
Freewheeling and dramatic, The Hold Steady will rock the Castle with their theatrical melodies in a unique accousitc performance. Tickets are distributed two per person on a first-come first-served basis outside of Castle Clinton, at 5pm day of show. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Friday, 7/28/2006
Richard Hawley with Nicolai Dunger
South Street Seaport, Pier 17, 7:00pm
This English singer-songwriter crafts melodic pop-rock songs in the tradition of Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley. Sweden's Nicolai Dunger recalls the joyful, pastoral soul of vintage Van Morrison with the melancholy crooning of Jeff Buckley. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Monday, 7/31/2006
Jie Chen, piano
Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts at Pace University. 7:30pm
Twenty-year-old pianist Jie Chen, winner of the 2006 Young Concert Artists Auditions and the Piano-e Competition, has already performed on stages around the world in recitals and with leading orchestras. Tickets required - available after 4pm day of show or reserved in advance via an email to culture@Pace.edu.
www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Wednesday, 8/2/2006
Bio Ritmo
South Street Seaport, Pier 17, 7:00pm
This established nine-member band has an authentic sound that reminds listeners of Latin dance pop from the 1970s. They specialize in classic Salsa and Rumba with an experimental twist. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Hot August Night
A Neil Diamond Celebration
Battery Park City Rockefeller Park, 7:00pm
Thirty-four years ago at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, Neil Diamond recorded the best live album ever. In fact Hot August Night is still his best-selling album. Celebrating this monumental achievement, several downtown singing celebs, backed up by a top-notch nine-piece band, will take turns interpreting his classic songs. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Thursday, 8/3/2006
Dave Holland Quintet
Castle Clinton National Monument in Battery Park, 7:00pm
Perhaps the most accomplished jazz composer among bassists, Holland’s expertise with Swing is going to make for an unforgettable evening during this last Castle Clinton show of 2006. Tickets are distributed two per person on a first-come first-served basis outside of Castle Clinton, at 5pm day of show. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Friday, 8/4/2006
Hot Chip
South Street Seaport, Pier 17, 7:00pm
This on-the-rise band from London has been impressing critics all over with a unique blend of rock and electronic music. Their quirky songs and impressive live show are contributing to their growing popularity and success. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Monday, 8/7/2006
Brasil Guitar Duo
Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts at Pace University, 7:30pm
Young revelations of the guitar world, this exciting duo has taken top prizes in major competitions in Brazil and Germany. Their wide repertoire includes traditional Brazilian music such as samba, choro and baiao. Tickets required - available after 4pm day of show or reserved in advance via an email to culture@Pace.edu.
www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Wednesday, 8/9/2006
Son Boricua featuring Jose Mangual and Jimmy Sabater
South Street Seaport, Pier 17, 7:00pm
Well-known vocalist Jimmy Sabater and percussionist Jose Mangual lead this seven-piece band’s remarkable blend of traditional Salsa with a new, refreshing twist. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Saturday, 8/12/2006
River to River presents the Mountain Stage NewSong New York! Contest
South Street Seaport, Pier 17, 7:00pm
Now in its fifth year, the Mountain Stage NewSong Contest is one of the nation's premier showcases of emerging performing songwriters of all genres. River to River is proud to present the first annual New York City Regional Round, where local artists compete to advance to the national finals round and a chance to perform on an internationally broadcast Mountain Stage Show. For information on how to compete in NewSong New York! visit the River to River website. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Wednesday, 8/16/2006
Conjunto Imagen
South Street Seaport, Pier 17, 7:00pm
This six-piece, New York-based Salsa band has released 11 albums in the last 15 years specializing in spirited, upbeat rhythms that encourage dance-floor partipation from people of all ages and all walks of life. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Wednesday, 8/16/2006
Papo Vazquez Pirates Troubadours
Wagner Park, 7:00pm
Trombonist, composer and arranger Papo Vazquez boasts a twisted variation on traditional themes and uses terms like Jibaro Waltz, Plena Funk, Bomba and Mapeye Jazz to help describe his music. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Friday, 8/18/2006
The Box Tops featuring Alex Chilton
South Street Seaport, Pier 17, 7:00pm
The Box Tops gained popularity in the ‘60s with their carefree brand of blue-eyed soul. Singer Alex Chilton went on to gain cult status with Big Star and as a solo artist. This is sure to be an amazing night with the original lineup of this legendary band. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Wednesday, 8/23/2006
Luisito Carrion and Orquestra
Wagner Park, 7:00pm
Salsa vocalist Luisito Carrion started performing at the age of thirteen in his father’s band, Orquesta Kafe. Since then, this in-demand singer has been the voice behind myriad hits. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Friday, 8/25/2006
Ted Leo + Pharmacists
South Street Seaport, Pier 17, 7:00pm.
Ted Leo has played some now legendary shows at the Seaport and the story
continues with one of the hottest shows of any summer.
www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Wednesday, 8/30/2006
Michael Stuart & Orquestra
Wagner Park, 7:00pm
The music of award-winning New York singer Michael Stuart is not easily categorized. Reflecting his varied interests, his sound mixes rock, R&B, hip-hop and electronica with traditional Salsa. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Thursday, 9/7/2006
Jose Alberto "El Canario" & Orquestra
Wagner Park, 7:00pm
Dominican-born salsa vocalist, José Alberto, also known as "El Canario," is noted for his exceptional voice, unique style and superior improvisational skills garnering him acclaim from his peers and legions of adoring fans. www.RiverToRiverNYC.com

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Jammys Recap

So I was at the Jammys the other night and have to say it was pretty mediocre at best. I've been to three of the six versions of it and this happened to be the weakest one I've seen. The heavy hitters of the scene were pretty underrepresented. Sure you can't have the same people perform every year, but just didn't think this version had much muscle power. The first half of the show as pretty forgetable. It wasn't until Peter Frampton hit the stage with Guster to perform "Do You Feel Like I Do" that people actually got up and got excited, but that happened about half way through the show. moe. was moe. this is old hat for them and they came out swinging and rocked. The 25 plus people on stage for the Rythm Devils portion of the show was great and I'm a sucker for Little Feat, but just thought the night on a whole was underwhelming.

Where were some of the acts that were nominated for awards? My Morning Jacket, Mars Volta, Ryan Adams, Gomez, Wilco, Matisyahu, WSP? Ok maybe some of these acts are out on the road, but I doubt all of them were. While TLG was there to accept their award they weren't asked to perform. Aren't they supposed to be one of the hottest jambands out there right now? Ok I'll stop my bitching, but I think they really need to work on the line-up for next year. They did great job of thinking outside the box on the nominees, but you really need to get those bands to show up if you're going to nominate them. Sure the crowd wasn't really pulling for the non-jambands to win any of the awards, but hey that doesn't mean they wouldn't have dug them if they performed.

Anyway take a listen and decide for yourself...

Jammys Award Presentation & Performance - 2006-04-20 - The Theatre at Madison Square Garden - NYC, NY

Benevento/Russo Quartet

Check out this recent article from the Bergen Record with Joe Russo about the Benevento/Russo gig at Bowery Ballroom this coming Friday night, their new album and their future touring plans with half of a certain jamband from Vermont (which has been rumored for awhile now). Read it here. Who knew they were so heady over at the Record.

The Benevento/Russo Duo - 2006-04-08 - Cambridge Room at the House of Blues - Cleveland, OH

The Benevento Russo Duo - Langerado Music Festival - Friday Night Soundcheck - Performance - 2006-03-10 - Sunrise Stage - Markham Park - Sunrise, FL

The Benevento Russo Duo w/ Mike Gordon - 2006-12-26 - Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata Music Box Theatre

Highway Companions Tour

Tom Petty has lined-up what is being rumored to be his last full summer tour - The Highway Campions Tour (he's hinted that his still going to play live, just nothing like a big scale tour). Taking a page out of the Rolling Stones playbook Petty has recruited some top notch opening acts for the tour - Trey Anastasio, Pearl Jam, Allman Brothers Band, John Mayer, with more to be announced.

Here's a list of the dates so far...

JUNE
9 Verizon Amphitheatre, Charlotte, N.C. (w/ Trey Anastasio)
10 Nissan Pavilion, Bristow, VA (w/ Trey Anastasio)
12 Harbor Center, Portsmouth, VA (w/ Trey Anastasio)
14 Polaris Amphitheatre, Columbus, OH (w/ Trey Anastasio)
16 Bonnaroo Festival, Manchester, TN
17 UMB Bank Pavilion, Louis, MO (w/ Trey Anastasio)
20 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY (w/ Trey Anastasio)
21 Tweeter Center, Mansfield, MA (w/ Trey Anastasio)
23 Verizon Amphitheatre, Indianapolis, IN (w/ Trey Anastasio)
26-27 Xcel Center, St. Paul, MN (w/ Pearl Jam)
29-30 Marcus Amphitheatre, Summerfest, Milwaukee, WI (w/ Pearl Jam)

JULY
2-3 Pepsi Center, Denver, CO (with Pearl Jam)

And here's some live Petty for ya...

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - 2005-06-22 - PNC Arts Center - Holmdel, NJ

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - 2003-04-19 - Vic Theater - Chicago, Il

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - 1993-11-04 - Gainesville, Florida

I Love Tuesdays....Sunday Edition

Was recommended this album, so had to pick it up...

The Bees - Starry Gazey Pie

Green Apple Music Fest

Ace Cowboy has set up a great blog dedicated to his exclusive coverage of the Green Apple Music Fest. Head on over there and show him some love for all his hardwork. Check it out here.

Here's the only show I've seen posted from the fest so far...

Kimock / Perkins / Mathis / Waldman - 2006-04-21 - Green Apple Music Festival - Canal Room - New York, NY

Saturday, April 22, 2006

Hot Time Summer In The City

Head on over to Brooklyn Vegan for a list of all the outdoor music that's going on this summer in NYC. Check it out here.

Some great shows already lined up at Summerstage...

6-13 - moe.
6-17 - Rhett Miller, Ollabelle
6-23 - Refugee All Stars (of Sierra Leone)
6-25 - Feist, Jason Collett, Buck 65
7-01 - Ska Cubano
7-02 - Seu Jorge, Jose Gonzalez, Alex Cuba Band
7-13 - Ani DiFranco
7-16 - Amadou & Mariam, Daby Toure
7-23 - Konono No. 1
7-26 - Fiona Apple & Damien Rice
7-30 - Lady Sovereign, Todd w/ Karsh Kale and Realize, My Pet Dragon
8-03 - New Pornographers, the Frames, Calexico
9-05 - Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Damian Marley
9-06 - Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Damian Marley
9-28 - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Here's an old school Blues Traveler show from Summerstage - which is probably one of my favorite places to see a show in town.

Blues Traveler - 1997-09-21 - Central Park SummerStage, New York, NY

I Love Tuesdays...Saturday Edition

Haven't had time to make it out to buy anything of late, but did pick one thing up today....

Calexico - Garden Ruin

Friday, April 21, 2006

The Boy Is Back In Town

I'm back from Yankee tour - more on that with photos later. Did manage to catch the Yeah Yeah Yeahs play the historic First Avenue while in Minneapolis and last night hit the Jammy Awards here in town. Both good shows, but neither blew me away. Ace over at Slack LaLane already has his review up from last night. Check it out here. I'll give you my thoughts on the night later, along with some other stuff too.

Promise more posts are coming.

Monday, April 10, 2006

Choose Your Own Adventure

Probably won't be posting much for the next week and a half or so since I'll be out in the field doing shots. So if you're looking for some stuff to read head on over to any and all of the following places for you music and pop culture needs...

Slack LaLane
Live Music Blog
Brooklyn Vegan
aquarium Drunkard
Best Week Ever Blog
Coolfer
The Greenhause Effect

And for those of you that have the YES network you should definitely be setting you DVR's to record my show YES' Ultimate Road Trip - it'll be airing this week at the following times...

Monday -- 4/10, 6:30 pm
Tuesday -- 4/11, 7:00 pm
Thursday -- 4/13, 9:30 pm
Friday -- 4/14, 7:00 pm

Plus don't forget to tune in for new episodes each Sunday night!!

Hopefully I'll get some more stuff up this week and while I'm in Minneapolis and Toronto.

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Get Your Rocks Off

The initial line-up for the Rocks Off Concert Cruise series is now up on there site. Check it out here. So far it's your typical mixed bag of stuff everyone's come to love about these cruises - jambands, cover bands, DJs, etc.

Here's some music from past cruises....

The New Deal - 2005-05-29 - The Temptress - Rocks Off Boat Cruise - New York, NY

Tea Leaf Green - 2005-05-13 -Rocks Off Boat Cruise - New York, NY

Umphrey's McGee - 2003-06-06 - Rocks Off Boat Cruise - Late Show - New York, NY

Benevento/Russo - 2003-08-29 - Rocks Off Boat Cruise - New York, NY

Wetlands Preserved

A documentary about the famed extinct rock club The Wetlands Preserve will be making it's debut on the final night of the Green Apple Music & Film Festival - Sunday, April 23rd at 6:30 PM. Here's the lowdown from Jambands.com...

A documentary film that traces the history of fabled New York City nightclub Wetlands Preserve, will close out the Green Apple Music and Arts festival. The world premiere of Wetlands Preserved: The Story of an Activist Rock Club will take place on Sunday, April 23, 6:30PM at New York’s Ziegfeld Theater. The film incorporates archival footage, soundboard recordings and the efforts of a dozen digital animators to chronicle the club’s tenure from February 1989 through September 2001. Wetlands Preserved features music from Phish, Blues Traveler, moe., The Disco Biscuits, Dave Matthews Band, Sublime, Ben Harper, Spearhead, 311, Ani DiFranco, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Spin Doctors, Fishbone, Agnostic Front and many additional artists. The film was directed by site editor Dr. Dean Budnick (who aside from being a longtime Wetlands denizen, wrote his Harvard doctoral dissertation on the films of Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle). Tickets for the premiere, will go on sale via Relix.com next Tuesday at noon, with additional details soon to follow.

I'm definitely going to try and score a ticket for this, should be quite the nostaglic night. Spent quite a few nights there catching some great music and was sad to see it and the scene the it fostered go.

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Who Wears Short, Shorts?

I've been pretty sucky about putting up anything of note lately - sorry to all my loyal readers about that (all lets say ten - though hopefully it's more). Anyway work has kept me busy, so it's been hard to update during the day.

With that out of the way, I'm hitting the Ratdog show tomorrow night at the Beacon Theater. Haven't seen Bobby in awhile and looking forward to it. Though wish he'd play more Bobby songs rather then a bunch of Jerry tunes. I'd much rather hear Black Throated Wind, Jack Straw and Greatest Story Ever Told over him trying to sing Wharf Rat - but hey that's me, I'd much rather hear the classics.

I guess there could be a whole argument made about who is he really playing for by doing those tunes - but I ain't no playa hata.

Here's some classic and current shows...

1997-06-09 - Sweetwater - Mill Valley, CA

2000-06-04 - Battery Park - New York, NY

2006-03-23 - Calvin Theatre -Northampton, MA

2006-02-05 - Dave Matthews and Friends Cruise - A Chorus Line Theater, Majesty of the Seas
At Sea

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

ISO 1 Salmon Colored Toilet

Awhile back I posted about some items from Jerry Garcia's house being put up for auction - bathtubs, fridge, light fixtures and his toilet - well there's been an update to the story. First off the toilet sold for $2,550 to the online casino Goldenpalace.com ,who planned on using it for a traveling exhibition of weird memorabilia. Even stranger then that the salmon colored toilet has been stolen before it was ready to ship out. Read about it here.

I Love Tuesdays

Here's the lone purchase for the week....

Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics

Thursday, March 30, 2006

I Love Tuesdays...Thursday Edition

Here's the lone purchase for the week....

Ghostface Killah - Fishscale

Denied

Tried to get tickets for The Reconteurs show at Irving today, but seemed like the show sold out in less then a minute. I was on at 12 on the nose and before the clock on my computer even turned to 12:01 Ticketmaster was telling me that there were no tickets left. So if anyone out there has one or two tickets to spare let me know, would love to catch this show.

If not will probably be hitting the Josh Rouse show at Town Hall that night instead. Go pick up his new album Subtitulo - it's damn good.

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

The Reconteurs @ Irving Plaza

Jack White's pop-rock side project with fellow Detroit resident Brendan Benson - The Reconteurs - will be playing Irving Plaza on April 7th. This is only American show scheduled besides an appearance at this summer's Lollapolooza.

Tickets go on sale March 30th, at noon - good luck, this is going to be a hot ticket.

Swan Song

Check out Chuck Klosterman's last two pieces for Spin - My Backpages - 1990 & his review of the looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong-awaited Guns N' Roses album Chinese Democracy. Am I really to believe that this album is finally going to see the light of day??

We'll see where Chuck ends up now that he's left Spin, but definitely a move for the best as Spin changes formats yet again and for the worse. Glad I found out the news before I sent in my renewal form.

Don't Be That Guy

Head on over to The Greenhause Effect for a great post on concert t-shirt etiquette. Check it out here.

Sunday, March 26, 2006

Scalpers Suck

I was pretty optimistic that I'd roll up to the Beacon last night and find a reasonably priced ticket outside. Boy was I wrong. What I found was about 10-15 ticket scalpers roaming the block harassing anyone and everyone who was trying to buy or sell extras. Slightly frustrating. Sure if I wanted to pony about 150 bucks I could have bought one off these guys, but a) that was way out my price range and b) no way was I going to support these guys who made it impossible to buy a ticket off anyone without them barging in and throwing cash at people. The scalpers were not only walking the block in front of the Beacon, but also standing in front of bars and restaurants in the area - they've definitely got a bit more resourceful.

So the moral of the story here is don't buy tickets from scalpers and please don't sell your extras to them. Sure I was slightly frustrated and disappointed that I didn't get in, but hey they probably got stuck with a fist load of tickets they couldn't get rid of.

Saturday, March 25, 2006

March Madness

The Allman Brothers Band are wrapping the annual run at the Beacon this weekend. I think I'm going to try and score a ticket for tonight's show. So if anyone out there is reading this and has an extra they want to sell let me know.

Some rumors floating around are that the estranged Brother Dickey Betts will be showing up tonight and also that John Hammond will be sitting in as well.

Friday, March 24, 2006

Langerado Torrents

Justin over at Live Music Blog has returned from Jam In The Dam and has been nice enough to collect a bunch of torrents from Langerado for all your downloading needs. Check it out here.

So stop by welcome him back and grab some tunes.

Thursday, March 23, 2006

The Way Back Machine

Last night caught Lo Faber at Sin-e with Ace Cowboy and while it might not have been the all old school setlist I was hoping for it was still a fun time and man did some of those songs make me feel quite nostalgic. God Street Wine was probably the first jamband band I got into after the Dead and Phish. Seems like that whole wave of mid-90s jambands are all but gone - Leftover Salmon, Ominous Seapods, Strangefolk (well the original line-up), etc.

So in honor of that here's some vintage shows....

God Street Wine - 1994-10-27 - Fox Theatre - Boulder, CO

Ominous Seapods - 1995-02-11 - Phi Delta Fraternity House - Dartmouth College - Hanover, NH

Strangefolk - 1997-04-05 - University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, NC

Leftover Salmon - 1996-08-09 - Round Mountain Music Park - Round Mountain, NC

Enjoy!!

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Jazzfest Late Night

Superfly has announced its initial late-night line-up for Jazzfest. Here's the lowdown from Relix....

Throughout the two weekend festival, Superfly will present a number of artists aboard the Riverboat Cajun Queen including a John Medeski-bolstered version of Garage a Trois (4/28), The Radiators (4/29) and The Greyboy Allstars (5/4). In addition, Superfly will present a series of double bills at the Big Easy’s Contemporary Arts Center, the site of the company’s earliest shows, including Gov't Mule / Galactic with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band (5/5) and The Meters/Robert Randolph and the Family Band (5/6). Other notable Superfly During JazzFest performances include Umphrey's McGee at the Republic (4/29) and a Frenchmen Street Festival : A Benefit for the Rebuilding of New Orleans (5/4)

I Love Tuesdays

Here are the purchases for the week...

Ben Harper - Both Sides Of The Gun
Loose Fur - Born Again In The U.S.A.
Josh Rouse - Subtitulo

Monday, March 20, 2006

Jenny Lewis @ Irving

Head on over to Fresh Bread for a review of the Jenny Lewis show from Saturday night. I had a ticket to go, but was a on a shoot all day and couldn't muster enough energy to make it there. Was kind of bummed that night and even more so now that I read the review - but definitely needed the rest.

Hopefully she'll be back again soon. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Check out how freaky tall the Watson Twins are in those pictures.

Odds & Ends

Sorry for the lack of posts, but work has kept me pretty busy the last week or so. I will try and get back into the habit of getting stuff up on a regular basis though.

So just a couple of things to report on. Seems like the Allman Brothers shows at the Beacon have been hot from what I've been reading. Guests have been a plenty including over this past weekend Taj Mahal and Ben Harper. Plus the decided they'd also pay tribute the probably the greatest live album ever made by performing Live At The Fillmore East in the order it appears on the album on it's 35th anniversary. Damn, I've got to get me to one of the remaining shows.

In other Allman's related news Gov't Mule is set to headline the second annual Mountain Jam on June 3rd & 4th at Hunter Mountain in Hunter, NY. Also scheduled to appear are Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Mike Gordon and Ramble Dove, MMW, Michael Franti & Spearhead, DJ Logic, the Benevento/Russo Duo, John Brown's Body, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, The Wood Brothers, Shannon McNally, The Benzos, Joey Eppard and The Trapps. Looks like a great line-up so far.

Friday, March 17, 2006

Happy St. Paddy's Day

It's been a bit of a crazy week for me, so once again apologize for the lack of posts. Hope everyone is having a great St. Patrick's Day. Heard way too much bagpipe music from the office since we're right off the parade route on 5th Avenue. Anyway big win for GW last night - too bad I had to miss it because of work. We take on the Dukies tomorrow - I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we pull the upset.

In other news the initial line-up for Lollapalooza has been announced and looks pretty damn good. Hometown heroes Wilco are among the headliners.

More posts this weekend. I promise.

Monday, March 13, 2006

I Love Tuesdays

Nothing great out this week, but got this to review for Glide Magazine....

Derek Trucks Band - Songlines

Unfortunately some of the DTB's gear was stolen in Florida. Check out this report from Jambands.com....

Last Thursday while Derek Trucks was in New York City with the Allman Brothers band, nine hundred miles away some of his gear was being pinched. Indeed, the Derek Trucks Band trailer was stolen in Atlanta and individuals in the southeast in particular are encouraged to keep an eye out for the following pieces of equipment with the listed serial numbers:

Pearl 5-piece Drum Kit (Black) (SN# 652623, 642341, 83233, 6526231, 652163)
Fender Super Reverb Combo Amp
(blackface) with Weber speakers by Jenson (SN# A13225)
Fender Super Reverb Combo Amp (blackface) with Pile Driver speakers (SN# A06896)
Hammond B-3 Custom foot switch(SN# pending)
Hammond Leslie amp – 147 model (SN# H25474)
Hohner Clavinet E7 (SN# 3447 410)
Yamaha Motif keyboard (SN# IHO1189)
Ampeg SVT Bass Head (1974) (SN# 112149)
Matchless Chieftain 2X10 combo amp (’96)

Anyone who has any information about the theft should contact the band through its website.

No Respect

For those of you that read my blog on a semi-regular basis you how big a fan I am of my alma mater The George Washington University men's basketball team. Well it's been a frustrating 24 hours for me after watching the NCAA Selection Show last night - so I'm just going to rant a little. I have to say I'm pretty disappointed with the NCAA Selection Committee. What were they thinking when they decided they'd give GW a number 8 seed in the tournament? How is this possible? This is a team that lost only one game during the regular season. Went undefeated in conference play. And most importantly was in the Top 25 for the entire season. So explain please will someone explain the low seeding to me? Most people had us penciled in at a number five at worst. Seeding us number 8 means essentially is saying we're not even a Top 25 team.

That's not the worst of it. Ok sure if you want to give an 8 seed I guess I can live with it if I have to, but where to they get off having them play UNC Wilmington a nine seed in North Carolina? How does this reward a team that had their best season in over 50 years? A team that won the Atlantic 10 regular season title two years in a row and who is getting their best player back from injury this week? Just doesn't make sense to me. Why weren't we put in the DC region at least? Yes I know they had one of the worst S.O.S. in all of Division I basketball, but we're not talking about a team out of the America East or the Northeast Conference.

Anyway just had to vent. The news doesn't get any better for the Colonials if they win their first round match-up they'd be pitted against a little team of Durham, NC - seriously could we have been screwed anymore????

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Odds & Ends

Haven't been to good at posting much of anything this week - I'll blame it on starting a new job that has kept me pretty busy. Despite my lack of posts I did manage to squeeze in a couple of shows. Wednesday night saw Nada Surf for the second time in about a month. Definitely a tighter show then I saw at the Merc, but think they played for a little too long and played a few too many slow tunes that kind of took the crowd out of it for some stretches. Love them though. Go pick up their last two albums - seriously go and do it today.

Friday night I finally got to see my first Tea Leaf Green show at the Knit. These guys definitley lived up to most of the hype - though thought the mix was a bit muddy. When you cover The Velvet Underground, The Beatles and Bob Dylan in the same show along with some great original stuff you'll make a fan out of me and get me out to see you again. Also thanks to the heady people at VH1 you can hear a snippet of their tune 'Sea Monkeys' on I Love Toys - I'm sure you can figure out what it was used for.

This may be good news or bad news depending on how you look at it, but TLG has been asked to play as part of Dave Matthews Band Island Getaway this summer on Randall's Island - with Gov't Mule and Bela Fleck & The Flecktones (plus more to be announced). Definitely a big break for them, but do you really want to attract the DMB fans to your shows? Discuss.

Thursday, March 09, 2006

Green Apple Music Fest

The Green Apple Music & Art Festival has finally revealed their line-up and concert schedule -check it out here. Slightly underwhelming if you ask me, but still some decent things to check out. Unfortunately just seems like a regular weekend of music here in the city, though obviously more jamband focused. Thought there would be more interesting bills somewhat in the spirit of the Jammys - though here's to hoping to some quality sit-ins.

Any guess on the 'Very Special Artist' listed to be playing Bowery Ballroom to close the festival out?? I'm gonna go with Ernest Anastasio III.

Leave your guesses in the comment section.

Monday, March 06, 2006

I Love Tuesdays

Here are the purchases for the week...

The Books - Lost And Safe
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
The Wood Brothers - Ways Not To Lose

Friday, March 03, 2006

Odds & Ends

Not too much going on to post about today. Starting my new job on Monday - which I'm really excited about, so if my post become somewhat sporadic blame it on the new gig. I'll try my very best though to get stuff up - I'm sure it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Anyway, apparently Hookaville - the multi-day bi-annual festival hosted by Ohio jammers ekoostik hookah - is turning 25. The event will be taking place on May 26-28 at Legend Valley. Already scheduled to take part is Blues Traveler (look for a big summer from them), Yonder Mountain String Band and Great American Taxi, with more to be announced. From what I've read this is a really solid, small festival.

It's been a rough year or so for hookah who have had a bunch of line-up changes with most notably Ed McGee leaving the band (though they have invited their original guitar player back, who hasn't played with the band in over ten years). I have been a fan of these guys for awhile and had the pleasure of catching a few of their NYC shows. They really never seemed to catch on outside the Mid-West, which was a shame - they're a great song oriented, roots-jamband and actually put out a couple of really solid albums too.

Here's some hookah for you to enjoy. I serious recommend checking them out if you don't know them....

ekoostik hookah - 2002-07-27 - Frontier Ranch - Kirkersville, OH (SBD)

ekoostik hookah - 2001-02-10 - Newport Music Hall - Columbus, OH

ekoostik hookah - 1998-08-29 - Frontier Ranch - Kirkersville, OH (SBD)

ekoostik hookah - 1996-06-13 - The Odeon - Cleveland, OH (SBD )

Thursday, March 02, 2006

Spinning

I really couldn't care less about when magazines get bought and sold, hire and fire editors and all that stuff - well except a little bit when it come to magazines I read. Well Spin magazine was recently sold and editor-in-chief Sia Michel was fired and replaced by former Blender editor-in-chief Andy Pemberton. Ok so who cares? Well with Michel leaving, Chuck Klosterman has decided to pack it in as well. I swear I think his back page feature he'd been doing was the only reason I keep reading that magazine. Well it's probably for the best for Chuck since Pemberton said the magazine is going to focus on a 'younger demographic'. Great more coverage on bands I couldn't give a shit about. Read about here. (via Gawker) Looks like that re-subcription letter they just sent me will be going right in the trash.

Baseball Is Back!

I may be one of only a handful of people that are excited for the Yankees spring training opener today, but it's been a long winter without baseball. So yes I will be tuning into the YES Network today at 1 P.M. to watch all the excitement of Grapefruit League Baseball. Sure the regular players only play about an inning or two and you have guys running laps around the field while the game is going on, but hey it's baseball and I'm excited.

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Gorillaz To Play Apollo Theater

Fictional cartoon band the Gorillaz will play the famous Apollo Theater on April 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6. The band will recreate last year's album Demon Days with the guest musicians featured on the album. Already confirmed are De La Soul, Ike Turner, Bootie Brown of the Pharcyde, Neneh Cherry, Happy Mondays' Shaun Ryder, UK rapper Roots Manuva - and more to be announced.

Tickets go on sale March 10th at 11 A.M. via Ticketmaster. This could be really cool, though heard mixed things about when the toured a few years back behind their debut album.

Thursday, May 11, 2006

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