Friday, June 29, 2007

Top 6 Of The First 6

Did this last year, so shouldn't break tradition right? So without further ado here are my Top 6 Albums of the First 6......

6. Elvis Perkins - Ash Wednesday























5. Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
























4. The White Stripes - Icky Thump

























3. Bright Eyes - Cassadaga

























2. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
























1. Dr. Dog - We All Belong

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Bands That Time Forgot....

The latest from The Post Show, enjoy....

Rage To Co-Headline Vegoose

Hidden Track this morning is reporting that none other then the recently reunited Rage Against The Machine will be co-headlining this year's Vegoose Music Festival. While everyone might not have enjoyed their set at Bonnaroo, The Police was a huge booking and now this - well done. The Superfly guys have definitely solidified themselves as people that can now just pick and choose who they want to play their festivals. The rest of the line up will be announced next month, but a Fox affiliate in Vegas has Dave Matthews Band, Tom Petty and The Killers filling out the other big slots - though I'm not sure how much faith I'd put in that.



Here's Rage from this year's Coachella Festival (via Dimeadozen)....

RATM - 2007-04-29 - Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival - Empire Polo Fields - Indio, CA

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

I Love Tuesdays

Here are the purchases for the week....

Grateful Dead - Three From The Vault

Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger

The Watson Twins - Southern Manners

Monday, June 25, 2007

Music Video Mondays

Going to continue with some more summery music this week (I like the trend) - here's "All Is Said And Done" by Dios (Malos).....



Dios (Malos) are on tour right now and will be playing Mercury Lounge this Wednesday night, go check them out. And if you're looking for some great summer beach music pick up either of their albums - here and here.

Friday, June 22, 2007

Bloggy Goodness

Still trying to shake off the Bonnaroo tiredness, but here's what other people have been posting....

As the new Ryan Adams album Easy Tiger hits stores on Tuesday, CSVMIAD lists the 5 Worst Ryan Adams songs. See if you agree or disagree and weigh in - head here.

The Weight Staff
headed out to see The Last Waltz Ensemble in Falls Church - check out their thoughts on the show here.

Fan of a good cover tune? Then head no further then Can You See The Sunset From The Southside? who has collected a bunch of are artists tackling The Clash - give them a listen here.

Looking for that perfect summer mix well look no further then I Am Fuel, You Are Friends for Heather's All I Want Is An Umbrella In My Drink Mix - featuring cuts from the likes of Steve Miller Band to Ben Kweller & Adam Green to Neutral Milk Hotel. Download the whole thing or pick and choose your tracks here.

Phish & Chips went crusin' Archive.org and offers up a quality summertime live set from everyones' favorite surf bum turned musician Jack Johnson - head here.

Want to hear the latest spin-off from Broken Social Scene? Head over to MFR for a taste of the new album by Kevin Drew called Spirit If which hits stores in September - here.

And finally as always head on over to Hidden Track for their weekly madness - The B List, Friday Mix Tape, Grousing The Aisles, Pullin' Tubes, etc.

Have a great weekend!

DYLAN

Is there really a need for another Dylan greatest hits cd? You've already got Volumes 1 - 3 and an Essential compilation too, and not to mention all the Bootleg Series stuff. But the folks over at Columbia are doing something kind of interesting with the latest Best Of that they are putting together. Here's the info....

A career-spanning, three-CD retrospective of Bob Dylan's music - DYLAN - will be released worldwide on October 1 by Columbia Records. This definitive Bob Dylan collection chronicles the artist's four decades of groundbreaking studio recordings, as well as his unparalleled influence on popular music and culture.

According to Sony BMG Commercial Music Group President John Ingrassia, "Each new generation eventually discovers what millions of people the world over have known for decades: That Bob Dylan is a singular artist whose songs and recordings represent the very best that music has to offer. This DYLAN set will provide a comprehensive introduction to an important body of work that continues to impact our culture and attract multitudes of new fans each year."

Song selection for this comprehensive set is still being determined, and will be greatly influenced by impassioned fan lobbying on website dylan07.com. This site, which went live in February for fans to share thoughts on Bob Dylan's music, swap stories about first hearing the artist's songs and seeing him in concert, and more, has been updated today with the DYLAN artwork, a promotional trailer for the album, as well as the ability for fans to vote on the DYLAN track listing.

Visitors to dylan07.com will also find details on a forthcoming online photo exhibit, in which notable fans from the worlds of music, film, art and fashion will contribute images inspired by Bob Dylan. Fans will be able to contribute images, as well, and a winner will be chosen by one of the celebrity photographers to receive a Sony Alpha digital camera and have his or her image included in the exhibit.

Two additional versions of DYLAN will be released simultaneously with the 3-CD set: A deluxe edition featuring the three disks in a cloth covered case, and accompanied by an extended booklet of classic and rare Dylan imagery plus 10 limited edition postcards highlighting pivotal moments of Bob's career. The "Best Of" edition that will feature 18 songs on a single disk.

I like the idea, we'll see if it actually pays off and we get something that digs a little deeper into the catalog. Head on over to Dylan07 to voice your opinion.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Vegoose Returns

Well Bonnaroo is over, but that doesn't mean that the Superfly folks aren't hard at work on their next big festival Vegoose. Here's the initial details....

VEGOOSE IS BACK!!!

THIRD ANNUAL LAS VEGAS MUSIC FESTIVAL TO BE HELD OCTOBER 26th – 28th.

Superfly Productions and A.C. Entertainment, creators of the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, are proud to announce the dates for Vegoose 2007. The third annual installment of this dynamic entertainment experience will take place in Las Vegas over Halloween weekend at Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday, October 27th and Sunday, October 28th. The initial lineup of confirmed acts and ticketing info will be announced in the coming weeks. Vegoose at Night, a series of nighttime concerts, will present a variety of artists at marquee venues throughout the city starting on Friday, October 26th and running through Sunday, October 28th.

With its festive Halloween-in-Vegas atmosphere, Vegoose is quickly becoming the ultimate fall season destination for live music fans. The event’s central complex at Sam Boyd Stadium—which includes the 30-acre Star Nursery Field with its stunning mountainous backdrop—provides a unique setting for the festival during the day and into the evening.

Vegoose has featured a staggering range of acts such as Dave Matthews, Tom Petty, The Killers, Fiona Apple, The Arcade Fire, Beck. The Flaming Lips, The Decemberists, Devendra Banhart, The Roots, The Raconteurs among many others. In addition to an exceptional lineup of music acts, the festival will present a host of activities and attractions. Building on features from years past—such as the Impersonators CafĂ©, the Wedding Chapel, and the Great Evil Pumpkin—organizers are poised to deliver an even more extraordinary array of entertainment options this year.

Head here from some torrents from last year's festivities.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

moe.nyc.nye.rcmh

It's really hard to start thinking about New Year's already, but that hasn't stopped moe. from announcing that they will rigging in 2008 like last year with a show a New York's own Radio City Music Hall. Presale through moe.ticketing begins June 20th at 10 A.M. (EST), while the general on sale is three days later, June 23rd at noon (EST) via Ticketmaster. Seriously though who can think that far ahead?

Here's last year's show, which I heard was quite the rager.....

moe. - 2006-12-31 - Radio City Music Hall - New York, NY

I Love Tuesdays

Here's the purchase for the week, it's a good one....

The White Stripes - Icky Thump

Monday, June 18, 2007

Music Video Mondays

Just back from Bonnaroo - thoughts and pictures tomorrow (probably over at Bonnawho's Who), but for now let's go with The Thrills and "So Much For The City"......



Their new album is called Teenager hits store this August, but if you sign up for their newsletter you can get a free track off of it. You can also hear a couple new tunes over at their MySpace page - head here.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

The Affair - This Friday @ Club Midway

Not heading down to Manchester fear not there is still a lot of solid music to see and thought I'd take this opportunity to give a plug to my friends in The Affair. They are playing Friday night at Club Midway. Here's some info....

WHAT:
The Pull-Out Method Presents...
THE AFFAIR 11:30 PM
The Walkup 12:30 PM

WHEN:
Friday, June 15, 2007

WHERE:
Club Midway (www.clubmidway.com)
25 Avenue B (and 3rd Street)

Their debut album Yes, Yes To You got a 7.0 from Pitchfork - read the review here. They play a great blend of indie-rock meets '60s girl group meets punk, so go and check them out.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

I Love Tuesdays

Here are the purchases for the week....

The Traveling Wilburys - The Traveling Wilburys

1 Day, 14 Hours and Counting

Finished up my artist spotlights over at Bonnawho's Who - 78 artists and a handful of comedians, if you haven't been over there lately check it out here. It's been quite the rewarding experience, got to find out about a bunch of new bands and also got to geek out on a bunch that I love that are playing this year. They'll hopefully be a couple more posts before heading down and lots when I get back.

If you're heading down to Manchester remember to be safe and have fun.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Music Video Mondays

It's Monday and I'm a bit tired and just looking forward to heading down to Bonnaroo in a few days. I posted this video over on Bonnawho's Who yesterday, but wanted to share it here too just for the unintentional humor it provides. Here's Wilco with "Outtasite (Outta Mind)"....



Have to love those mid 90s alternative videos - I bet Tweedy cringes anytime people bring it up.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Tony!

Don't fret Sopranos fans the series may be coming to an end tonight, but come this fall look out for Tony!.....



For more from The Post Show - head here.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Alive Dead

After months of being "Under Construction" the new, improved Grateful Dead website is now live. Here's some info on the new site....

Welcome to the latest evolution of Dead.Net. Before you start clicking around we just wanted to give you three... no, four, informational gems.
  1. We want you to know that this site is going to be ever-improving, ever-evolving and never sitting still. Post your ideas, your wish lists, your hopes for what you wish this site could be. We have a million ideas of our own, and we want to build this 'thing' into the best 'thing' it can be. That said, we are brand new, and it's going to be a little rocky for a bit while we find our feet and figure out what is working and what isn't. So bear with us.
  2. At the moment, we have not fully merged the community/archives with the store. That means that you are going to have to create a whole 'nother account when you want to go to the store and buy stuff. We are working really hard to make it so that you only need one account. In the meantime,when you do create your User accounts, please use the same email address for both so that we can unite them when the time comes.
  3. The store. Yes, the shelves are a little empty right now. We are moving truckloads of merch to a shiny new warehouse, and so it's not all in yet. We will be adding tons of new stuff really soon!
  4. That's it! Wander around and check it all out. We hope you're happy with what we're building here, since really, it's all for you.
Some of the cool new features included the ability to check out song lyrics, backstage passes, concert posters as well as the continuation of the Taper's Section - head here and start poking around.

If that's not enough Dead for you, you can also pre-order their newest archive release Three From The Vault - which features a show from the Capital Theater from '71. Pre-order your copy here.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

No Stairway

After a few weeks of speculation the final pieces of the puzzle are in place on the Bonnaroo schedule with the announcement of what was listed as a TBD for Friday late night as the SuperJam. Here's the info....

Bonnaroo continues an annual tradition with an all-star SuperJam, starting at midnight on Friday, June 15. Former Led Zeppelin bass player JOHN PAUL JONES will anchor a trio featuring one of music's most innovative modern bluesmen, guitar wizard BEN HARPER, and Roots drummer AHMIR "?UESTLOVE" THOMPSON. The SuperJam is one of the most highly anticipated features of the festival, combining the talents of a diverse set of musicians for a one-time-only collaborative performance. Past participants have included Stewart Copeland, Herbie Hancock, Dr. John, Trey Anastasio, and many other musicians of the highest caliber - and if history is any indication, expect special guests to join the fun.

Since the break-up of Led Zeppelin in 1980, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jones has worked with bands including R.E.M. and the Foo Fighters. Harper's last album, "Both Sides of the Gun," debuted at Number Seven on the Billboard charts; Rolling Stone has called him a "natural-born superstar." In addition to his role as the heartbeat of hip-hop trailblazers the Roots, Thompson has played with and produced such artists as D'Angelo and Fiona Apple; at Bonnaroo, he will also be performing with his jazz-oriented group, The Philadelphia Experiment.

Who's ready for a Zeptastic set with Ben doing his best Robert Plant? Thoughts?

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

The Triology Rescidency

Ben Kweller's planning on playing his three albums - for those keeping score at home that's Sha Sha, On My Way and Ben Kweller - in their entirety during a three night stand at Brooklyn's Southpaw on July 30th, 31st and August 1st. Can't decide which album you'd want to see, don't fret because you can a pass that will get you into all three nights. Buy your tickets here.

So in honor of the three night run, here's a video from each album.....

Commerce, TX



The Rules



Sundress



Ben will also be out on the road for a full summer tour too, check out the dates here.

Monday, June 04, 2007

Cartunes

About a week or so ago as I was half paying attention to what was on TV when my ears perked up to what I thought was the strains of one Jeff Tweedy, but when I glanced over it was a commercial for Volkswagen - so I dismissed it as a sound-a-like. Well I guess I was right as this story is making it's way around the blogs the last few days....

"In a new form of music/promotion/communications, the band Wilco's recently released album Sky Blue Sky is the soundtrack to Volkswagen's latest TV campaign. This new form of marketing collaboration has the creative forces of Wilco and VW combining to launch both an album and a VW campaign in the same week (May 22nd). The partnership spans multiple commercials and multiple songs, with the first song being "The Thanks I Get." The Wilco Volkswagen union will run for the summer and all songs can be streamed on vw.com. It's also the first-ever licensing deal for Wilco."

I guess the reason I didn't recognize the was because it leftover that didn't make it onto Sky Blue Sky. You can head on over to Stereogum who has the the spots - check it out here.

Odds & Sods

No one can accuse Ryan Adams about being lazy when it comes to putting out albums - though some may prefer that he limit himself to one release a year. Billboard is reporting that Ryan is looking to release a boxed set culled from his archives. Here's some info....

According to a label spokesperson, the set may include live tracks, the fabled unreleased albums "48 Hours" and "The Suicide Handbook," the oft-bootlegged "Bedhead" series and leftover songs from the "Easy Tiger" sessions.

Good news for the die hard fans, though probably too much for everyone else. Read the full article here.

Music Video Mondays

I'll admit I was a total slacker last week with posting, I'll try to do better this week. Feeling like some Beastie Boys this morning and let's go with two. First up is "Hold It Now, Hit It"....



And how about "Intergalatic", because who doesn't love a good robot versus giant monster fight....



The Beasties also have a new funk filled instrumental album called The Mix-Up hitting stores at the end of the month. They've also promised multi-night tour stops to support the album - one night instrumental, one night hip-hop.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

I Love Tuesdays

Picked up a couple of things off of iTunes last night....

Annuals - Be He Me

Howlin Rain - Howlin Rain

Monday, May 28, 2007

Music Video Mondays

So it's the first "official" day of summer, so let's go with some great beach music. Here's Jack Johnson with "Breakdown"....

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Bloggy Goodness

Here's what other people have going on....

!!! rock, rock, rock according to Whitperson (LMB) who caught them at Metro and has a full review with photos - head here.

Phish & Chips
has the scoop on some of the songs that will be featured on Guitar Hero III - find out who'll you'll be able to play along to here.

I'm From Barcelona makes SuperDee smile, so she thinks you should check them out as well - head here.

Guess the remaining members of Led Zepplin are feeling a bit left out of the recent reunion mania that is sweeping the summer of '07. Head on over to The Weight to read about what Jimmy Page said on a recent radio interview - here.

Can You See The Sunset From The Southside? has a couple of tracks off the new Ryan Adams album Easy Tiger (which I can't wait to hear) as well as some from his short-live band The Freightwhaler - check it out here.

And finally over on Hidden Track this week's edition of The B List features Second Generation Rockers - find out who made the list here.

Free From The Black Keys

Few days late on this, but the other blues-based, guitar-drums duo out there that doesn't pretend to be brother and sister The Black Keys are offering up a free live EP for download off on their MySpace page - head here and thanks guys!!


Thursday, May 24, 2007

Happy 66th!

Let's a take a quick moment to wish one Robert Zimmerman a Happy 66th Birthday!!! To celebrate here's a rockin' version of "Shelter From The Storm" from the Rolling Thunder Revue Tour - and don't ask me what's on his head, I have no idea....

Bonnaroo Schedule Now Up

For those of you that are headed down to Manchester (like me) Superfly has released the official Bonnaroo schedule - head here to start your planning.



I'll post some thoughts and my ideal schedule over on Bonnawho's Who.

"Rehab" Is The New "Crazy" Update

Ok so about a week ago I proclaimed Amy Winehouse's song "Rehab" to be the new "Crazy" of this summer - see here. Well I may have picked the wrong Winehouse song as the Arctic Monkeys have chosen to take on "You Know I'm No Good" - give it a listen here (via Stereogum).

Also if you're strolling around Central Park you may stumble onto this....

(photo via BWE)

Billboard Confirms That Stevie Wonder Is Blind

Paul Simon received the inaugural Gershwin Award from the Library Of Congress last night in Washington, DC. The people on hand at the show not only got to see Paul and his buddy Art sing a few songs, he also reunited with Ladysmith Black Mambazo for the first time in a number of years for "Graceland" - read about the festivities here. Others on hand that performed were James Taylor, Allison Krause, Stephen Marley and Stevie Wonder - who thanks to some top notch investigative reporting by Billboard has uncovered the reason why he wears those sunglasses all the time....

"Simon teamed with Stevie Wonder and the gospel group the Dixie Hummingbirds for a rollicking version of "Loves Me Like a Rock."

Wonder, who is blind, missed a vocal line, made a crack about his cue cards, flipped up his dark glasses to peer at the audience in jest, and dove back into the song."

Seriously do they think that people reading Billboard don't already know that fun fact?

Anyway check out this 80s-tastic video for "Boy In A Bubble"....

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Take Me Out To The Ball Game....

It's no secret that Craig Finn the lead singer of The Hold Steady is a pretty big baseball fan, and even bigger Minnesota Twins fans. See exhibit #1, lifted from this....

That maybe one of the coolest band t-shirts ever.

Well today over at I Am Fuel, Your Friends (if you're not heading there on a daily basis, you should be), Heather has a fantastic post up about The Hold Steady which includes some lots of MP3 - head here.

But more importantly she also posted this killer MP3 of The Hold Steady's version of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame". Head here for the full story behind it and as well as some video on the recording session.

Now if could only get the Yankees to be as hip, I think we're all pretty tired of Cotton Eyed Joe and the YMCA by now.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Fillmore At The Fillmore

I guess changing your name to The Fillmore New York At Irving Plaza (on 13th Street on the South West corner) does have some perks, as the venue will be screening Fillmore: The Last Days of the Closing of the Fillmore Auditorium, 1972 - which has only been screened once since it's initial theatrical run. Here's the full story from Jambands.com....

New York’s Irving Plaza is one of a handful of venues across the country to be recently be branded the Fillmore. And, on June 12, the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza will look back at its predecessor, the Fillmore West, through a the rare showing of the film Fillmore, The Last Days of the Closing of the Fillmore Auditorium, 1972. The event, which is produced by the Bill Graham Foundation in association with The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza, has only been shows once publicly since its original theatre run. The occasion will include a memorabilia silent auction, after party dancing and a light show by the Fillmore’s famed J.O.E.

The documentary, which was shot during the weeks leading up to the closing of San Francisco’s Fillmore West in 1971, features performances by a number of seminal groups, including Santana, Grateful Dead, Boz Scaggs, Hot Tuna, Jefferson Airplane, Elvin Bishop, New Riders of the Purple Sage and Beautiful Day, among others. The film also offers a look at Graham himself through interviews and rare backstage footage. The June 12 benefit will also feature commentary by Director Ely Bleich, as well as original staff from the Fillmore East and West. As is Fillmore tradition, a commemorative poster has been commissioned for the event.


Good stuff, I think I might have to check this out.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Music Video Mondays

Don't know a lot about the much buzzed Tokyo Police Club, but loved their video for "Cheer It On"....



Haven't seen a video involving children's toys this good since "Fell In Love With A Girl".

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Blind Faith Reunion

Head on over to Hidden Track for a post on last night's partial reunion of '60s supergroup Blind Faith. Check out here, which includes YouTube links to the performances.

So not to steal their thunder here's some vintage Blind Faith with "Can't Find My Way Home" off thier recently release live DVD London Hyde Park 1969 - which I clearly need to purchase....

M. Ward & Friends On Conan

As promised here's the M. Ward performance from the other night with Jim James and Neko Case - it's a must watch, enjoy.....

Friday, May 18, 2007

Bloggy Goodness

Here's what other people have going on....

Dave The Butcher caught Kings of Leon the other night in Cincinnati - check out his review of the festivities here.

Apostle of Hustle is doing a residency in Chicago (as well as New York) this June. Justin at Live Music Blog is "beyond excited" and offers up an MP3 of their song "National Anthem of Nowhere" - head here.

CSVMIAD thinks you should pick up the newly released Rufus Wainwright album Release The Stars - check out their thoughts on it here.

Have you been over to Partyin' Peeps yet? They've been doing a weekly series called WeTube Wednesdays - this week they're featuring a version of "Plane Crash" from moe.'s recent 5 night run at the Highline Ballroom - here.

The Weight Staff (like myself) attended the Arctic Monkeys show earlier this week at the Hammerstein Ballroom - read their review here.

Rob Sheffield's Love Is A Mix Tape knocked Heather's socks off - check out her thoughts on the book as well as a mix she's complied from the songs mentioned in the book, great work! Check that out here.

And as always head over to Hidden Track for their great weekly features - Friday Mix Tape, The B List, Grousing The Aisles and the now daily Pullin' Tubes.

M. Ward All Stars

Anyone else out there catch the indie-rock all-star band M. Ward recruited for his performance of "Chinese Translation" on Conan last night? Matt was joined by none other than Jim James (who now has a buzz cut) and Neko Case - this could be my dream band. Hopefully some video will surface today - I watched it twice this morning before heading off to work and it was simply fantastic.

In the meantime you can just watch the video instead....

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Pool Parties Return!

On the heels of the announcement of the lineup for Siren Fest comes the initial list of dates and bands for jellyNYC's Pool Parties - which will once again be returning the McCarren Pool. Check out what they've got so far (lots of spaces to filled in) - via Brooklyn Vegan.....

June 24
Superchunck
Oakley Hall
Special guest

JULY 1
MAN MAN
Dengue Fever
Illinois

JULY 8
OCTOPUS PROJECT
ERASE ERRATA
Dan Deacon

JULY 15
Details coming soon!

JULY 22
Details coming soon!

JULY 29
Details coming soon!

AUGUST 5
BLONDE REDHEAD
I’m From Barcelona
Special guest

AUGUST 12
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
The Thermals
Birds of Avalon

AUGUST 19
Ghostland Observatory
Plus special guests

As with last year all these shows are FREE. Hopefully I'll make it out there one of them this year, paid for a couple of shows there last summer and loved the space.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

MTV Trying To Connect With People Other Then Teenage Girls

I rarely if ever turn on MTV these days, but when I do it's usually to catch the brilliantly funny at times show Human Giant. In an effort to connect to an audience other then 16 year old girls, the folks over at MTV are handing the channel (as well as MTV2) over the Paul, Rob and Aziz for 24 hours starting this Friday at noon to do with it what they please - read about it here.

As of now they've lined up some great guests as well as getting a bunch of bands to perform too - Tapes 'N Tapes, Tegan & Sara and Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, so be sure to tune it in from time to time over the course of their stay should make for some interesting television.

Check out their spoof on To Catch A Predator.....



For more on Human Giant head over to their blog and be there friend on MySpace.

Siren Fest Lineup

The initial lineup for the 7th Annual Village Voice Siren Festival has been announced and it's quite good.....

New York Dolls
We Are Scientists
Matt And Kim
The Black Lips
Dr. Dog
Lavender Diamond
Noisettes
The Detroit Cobras
Elvis Perkins
The Twilight Sad

Unfortunately I'll be at a wedding that day and will be missing out on the festivities - which are FREE, so no excuses if you don't go. Lots of people are speculating that this may be the last year for the event out in Coney Island with the demise of Astroland, though don't worry the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel aren't going anywhere.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Rehab Is The New Crazy

Remember last summer when it was hip to cover "Crazy" (here, here, etc.) . Well I'm officially declaring Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" as the new "Crazy" for the summer of '07. First up on the bandwagon Paolo Nutini, check out his version....



So sit tight and we'll see if my prediction comes true.

Something Else

Despite the lack of anymore big name additions to Bonnaroo, (seriously anything at this point for me would just be gravy) they have just announced this....

We are proud to announce that have teamed up with Blue Note Records to present Somethin’ Else, a dedicated Jazz club curated by Blue Note Records.

The first event of its kind, Somethin’ Else aims to create an authentic Jazz club atmosphere in the middle of the largest outdoor rock festival in the United States, and to introduce the Bonnaroo audience to Jazz through live performances by legendary and up-and-coming artists, panel discussions about Jazz History, and exhibits of classic Blue Note Records photography and album artwork.

The legendary jazz label along with festival organizers selected an outstanding line-up from the Blue Note Records artist roster and beyond. Performers will include legendary artists such as saxophonist Lou Donaldson and Hammond B3 organist Dr. Lonnie Smith, established artists such as pianist Jacky Terrasson, vibraphonist Stefon Harris, clarinetist Don Byron, and saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, up-and-comers such as pianist Robert Glasper and guitarist Lionel Loueke, and crossover artists such as the Scott Amendola Band featuring Nels Cline, Stanton Moore, Billy Martin and John Medeski, and The Philadelphia Experiment.

DownBeat magazine will also present afternoon panel discussions on the Somethin’ Else stage in between music sets on June 15 and 16, with various prominent musicians from the Jazz world and beyond discussing the music and its legendary figures, including Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, and John Coltrane.

The Somethin’ Else, which will be designed to resemble a downtown New York City Jazz club, will be housed in an air-conditioned tent with table seating and bar-service for patrons. The tent will be decorated with the classic Blue Note Records photography of Francis Wolff and album artwork of Reid Miles.

SOMETHIN’ ELSE 2007 LINE-UP:

SCOTT AMENDOLA BAND FEAT. NELS CLINE
DON BYRON PLAYS JUNIOR WALKER FEAT. CHRIS THOMAS KING
RAVI COLTRANE QUARTET
LOU DONALDSON & DR. LONNIE SMITH QUARTET
ROBERT GLASPER TRIO
STEFON HARRIS & BLACKOUT
LIONEL LOUEKE
MAGO FEAT. BILLY MARTIN & JOHN MEDESKI
STANTON MOORE TRIO
DAVID MURRAY QUARTET
THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT
JACKY TERRASSON TRIO
DOUG WAMBLE TRIO

The idea of a jazz club tent with table service in the middle of a rock festival is just amazing - where do I get in line.

For more on who's playing head on over to my Bonnawho's Who site.

I Love Tuesdays

Only one purchase this week, and I'm sure you can guess what it is.....

Wilco - Sky Blue Sky

Monday, May 14, 2007

Ryan's Reckoning

While Ryan Adams new album Easy Tiger is still about a month away from release that hasn't stopped Rock Daily from claiming it his best work since Heartbreaker - check out their preview here.

It also seems as if Ryan hasn't shaken his affinity for the Grateful Dead, check out this excerpt from his recent website ramblings....

Gotta say that the new tunes are feelin real sweeeeet at rehearsal. We (the cardinals) have worked up an entirely new set list of never before heard tunes (with the new ET tunes) for our new set up, which is more or less based on the GD "reckoning" set up- (me and neal on acoustics- JG on a single steel, B on his awesome new compact drum kit percussion thing (its actually the size of a small boat considering he is 7 ft 16) SWolf on the hollybody and our friend producer and sepcialist Jamie on piano (really great vibe having Jamie rocking that with us- totally awesome having him in the fold). Jamie likes italian food and his turn on's are sky-diving, undersea exploration and map collecting. he is an aquarius with some capricorn and virgo on his brother randy's side.

Sounds good to me, can't wait to hear the new album and for the rumored fall tour. Check out this live performance of "Goodnight Rose" (which appears on the new album) from his appearance on the Henry Rollins show.

Still hoping that Ryan is a late addition for the 'Roo, but he would just be gravy for me at this point.

Do The Right Thing

Wilco is asking you (quite politely) to go buy their new album - which hit stores tomorrow....

Greetings to you all from the east coast branch -- where we've been burning the midnight oil for months getting ready for May 15. And it is finally upon us.

By now, you know that next week is the official release date of Wilco's 7th album (or 9th depending on how you count). Hence the slightly serious tone of this note. Tuesday, to be precise, marks the US release of Sky Blue Sky on Nonesuch Records. If you haven't had a chance to listen to the on-demand stream, by all means click here and take it for a spin. We're pretty sure you'll enjoy the ride.

But once you've done that we hope you'll take a moment to reflect (see, I told you this was serious) on how this dynamic has worked over the years -- the dynamic between us and you. We (and this "we" means the band, first and foremost) expend a lot of time, energy and other resources trying to make this something you are not just a witness to, but a participant in and we genuinely hope you can feel that.

We've been asked many times if we'd consider changing the way we do things, usually by people who are convinced we'd be more successful if we did. And either out of stubbornness or something else, we keep refusing. Instead, we just do what we do and somehow it all works. We continue to make lots of music available free to all in the road case, continue to allow taping/photos at shows, and basically just try to keep the things we do charge for of a quality that make you feel like you got a bargain. You know, mutual respect and all that. We like the way it works... a lot. We really do believe in trying to keep as much of it as free and open as is humanly possible. That seems pretty obvious... but somehow it remains a slight novelty in the modern day music business. So much so that people continually mention it in their stories when they write or speak about the band or the somewhat sad state of the music business.

Anyway, what we're getting at here is that right now we need you to participate in a way that is part of what has made this nice little story work. We're actually asking you to please go out next week and do the right thing for Wilco. That is, vote with your feet and prove the band's faith well-placed and buy the record. It's available from Tuesday at all kinds of retailers everywhere. Ask for it by name. It's also available here, and for those of you who are more digitally inclined, here.

Okay, enough campaign speeches. You get the message. And we trust that you'll act on it as you always have.

So do Jeff a solid tomorrow and go pick it up. I think it's a quite good album, but seems like critics will be giving a lot of mixed reviews - Rolling Stone gave it 4 Out of 5 Stars (Rob Sheffield mentions about 50 different bands in the review) while Pitchfork gave it a pretty modest 5.2 Rating.

Buy Sky Blue Sky here.

Also Jeff's mug graces the cover of the May/June issue of Relix which is on newsstands now.

Finally Your Chance To See Grace Potter In A Bikini

Here's the first of a few news items from last week that I meant to post about. The initial line-up for Jam Cruise 6 has been revealed, take a look....

Warren Haynes, funky METERS, Yonder Mountain String Band, Galactic, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Dark Star Orchestra, Soulive, An Everyone Orchestra line-up that includes Matt Butler, Jon Fishman, Steve Kimock and Jeff Coffin, Perpetual Groove, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Toots & the Maytals, Karl Denson, New Monsoon, Toubab Krewe, The Motet, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Lotus and DJ Harry

Judging by the quote below from a review on HT last week I think a lot of guys out there will be enticed into buying a ticket for this just for the idea of maybe getting to see Grace Potter sitting poolside in a bikini....

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention that Grace Potter and the Nocturnals played in between Tea Leaf Green and the Neville Brothers. All I can say is that I want to fuck her and her talent really bad — yeah, that’s pretty much my review of her set. I came away extremely impressed by her, but is it possible for a heterosexual male to leave her show and not feel that impulse?"

While the pre-booking is over, public on-sale date is June 6th - for more info head here.

Music Video Mondays

I've been really ignoring my duties here of late, promise more posts this week. But first things, first let's start the week off right with some music and by also giving a plug to my friend's band The Affair. Their debut album Yes Yes To You got a 7.0 from the Pitchfork last week, so without further ado here they are with "Honey"....

Monday, May 07, 2007

Music Video Mondays

Let's go with one by The Features today. Caught part of these guys set when they opened for Kings Of Leon back in '04 at the Bowery, bought their CD and loved it then they sort of seem to disappear (at least for me). Well they are now back on tour with KOL and have a new EP out (ok it's been out for awhile, but I'm just finding out about it) called Contrast - which I plan on picking up today. Here's "The Way It Meant To Be" off their debut Exhibit A.....

Sunday, May 06, 2007

Help On The Way


Read about it here.

Grateful Dead - "Help On The Way" - 1990-03-24

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Kielbasa, Perogies & Wilco

As it seemed to be rumored a few weeks back when tickets went on-sale for their Hammerstein show, Wilco is indeed playing a show out in Brooklyn the next night. The obvious choice of venues pointed towards McCarren Pool, but instead it's going to be the bit more intimate Polish National Home/rock club Warsaw. Here's the ticket info....

WILCO Pre-Sale begins Wednesday, May 9 at 10 a.m. EDT. Click here for more info. 2 Ticket Limit.

Public On Sale begins Saturday, May 12 at 1 p.m. at the Warsaw and Irving Plaza Box Offices Only.

YOU MUST HAVE PHOTO ID TO PURCHASE TICKETS. AND MUST PRESENT THAT SAME ID AT THE DOOR.

2 TICKET LIMIT - CASH ONLY

Good luck in getting ticket, and don't forget Sky Blue Sky hits stores on May 15th.

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

New York City I'm Coming Home Again.....

For those of you that are headed the moe. show Thursday night at the newly opened Highline Ballroom couple news items for you. First up the band will be offering direct soundboard patches on a first come, first serve basis - no special ticket is required. Secondly the band will be appearing at a LIFEbeat after party at the Cutting Room that night after the show. Tickets are on-sale now and are only ten bucks! Not sure if this means that band will performing or what - I'm guessing so, but for ten bucks it's a great cause and a chance to possibly see the band in very intimate setting.

I'm hitting the show on Saturday night - looking forward to seeing them after the so-so show that I saw at Irving Plaza back in December.

Here's a few recent shows for your downloading pleasure....

moe. - 2007-04-22 - Shibuya AX, Shibuya-ku - Tokyo, Japan

moe. - 2007-03-13 - Hal & Mal's - Jackson, MS

moe. - 2007-03-03 - The Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA


Also couldn't resist giving you their ode to my hometown, as they set-up residence here for 5 nights.....

I Love Tuesdays

Here are the purchases for the week....

Feist - The Reminder

BRMC - Baby 81

Monday, April 30, 2007

Music Video Mondays

I totally was asleep during the whole mid-90s grunge thing (listening to way too much Billy Joel), sure I knew the Pearl Jams and Nirvanas of the world, but a band like Dinosaur Jr. was way under my radar. After a successful reunion tour, these guys have a new album out tomorrow called Beyond. I caught the video for the first single on Subterranean a couple weeks back and really dug it, so here's "Been These All The Time," with a guest appearance by Thurston Moore.....

Friday, April 27, 2007

The Long And Short Of It

For those that care about it the finalist for the 6th annual Shortlist Music Prize were announced today, here they are....

Band of Horses – Everything All the Time
Beirut – Gulag Orskestar
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - The Letting Go
Cat Power – The Greatest
Girl Talk - Night Ripper
Hot Chip - The Warning
Joanna Newsom - Ys
Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope
Spank Rock - YoYoYoYoYo
Tom Waits - Orphans

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the award albums are only eligible if they have not been certified gold - meaning they have not sold more the 500,000 copies in the U.S.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Bloggy Goodness

Here's what other people have going on....

If you're a regular of this here blog you know I love a good music list. Check out The Passion of the Weiss for his 25 Favorite Hip Hop Albums and then do yourself a favor and explore some of the other posts over there too.

Rob Ronanea gives us his weekend at the New York version of the Green Apple Music Festival head here.

Heather of I Am Fuel, Your Are Friends fame caught the Apostle of Hustle and Andrew Bird last night in Boulder check her review of the festivities here.

Muzzle Of Bees digs The Besnard Lakes and thinks you will too - give them a listen here.

Head on over to Phish & Chips for some tunes to help you celebrate 420 (yeah I know it was last week, but I have a feeling people celebrate this one everday) - click here.

Fresh Bread has a two part interview with Joe Russo touching on everything from the G.R.A.B. tour to how the Duo keeps songs fresh - give it a read here.

This week's version "B-List" over at Hidden Track features a debate on the "10 Best Chick Bass Players", see if you agree - weigh in here.

Finally Central Village is heading to Coachella check in there over the course of the weekend for some updates from the fest.

What Sin

Ryan Adams took some time out from his busy schedule of posting every song that pops into his head on his website to jam the fuck out of "What Sin" on the Henry Rollins Show, enjoy....



Ryan's new album Easy Tiger hits stores on June 26th.

Coachella Schedule & Webcast

Here's another item that is a couple of days old (I know I'm a slacker), but the Coachella schedule was released - see what you'll be missing here. For those of us that aren't making are way out to Cali this weekend fear not you can watch the fest in the comfort of your home courtesy of the fine folks over at AT&T's Blue Room - here. They haven't posted their schedule as of yet, but I'm sure you won't be disappointed with what they come up with.

I really love the fact of being able to watch these performances basically while they're happening, and be sure to head over there next weekend when they'll be webcasting highlights from Jazz Fest.

Quest For Festeroo To Finally Hit The Big Screen

For those of us who have only been hearing about Electric Apricot: The Quest For Festeroo it seems like you may actually be able to see it at a theater near you in the coming months. National Lampoon has acquired the rights to the Les Claypool mockumentary and plans on giving it a wide release later this year. Read about it here - which includes some details about the movie. I'm looking forward to finally seeing this thing, check out the trailer...



Check out the "unofficial" Electric Apricot website for more - including an MP3 of their song "Burning Man" and some heady merch.

Icky Summer Tour

About a month or so ago Billboard jumped the gun a bit and posted White Stripes summer tourdates that were about two years old - which everyone seemed have posted, including me. Well fear not Stripes fans Jack and Meg are hitting the road this summer to support their new release Icky Thump with of all things an arena tour (well mostly) with a stop at Madison Square Garden. Here's the dates....

6/01/07 Nurburg, GER Rock Am Ring
6/02/07 Nuremberg, GER Rock Im Park
6/09/07 Lisbon, POR Lisbon Festival
6/11/07 Paris, FRA Le Zenith
6/14/07 London, UK Hyde Park
6/15/07 Leeds, UK Harewood House
6/17/07 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Music Festival
6/24/07 Burnaby, BC Deer Lake Park
6/25/07 Whitehorse, YT Yukon Arts Centre
6/26/07 Yellowknife, NW Yellowknife Multiplex
6/27/07 Iqaluit, NUN Arctic Winter Games Arena
6/29/07 Calgary, AB Pengrowth Saddledome
6/30/07 Edmonton, AB Shaw Conference Centre
7/01/07 Saskatoon, SK TCU Place
7/02/07 Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre
7/03/07 Thunder Bay, ON Thunder Bay Community Auditorium
7/05/07 Toronto, ON The Molson Amphitheatre
7/06/07 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
7/07/07 London, ON The John Labatt Centre
7/08/07 Ottawa, ON Cisco Systems Ottawa Bluesfest
7/10/07 Moncton, NB Moncton Coliseum
7/11/07 Charlottetown, PE Charlottetown Civic Centre
7/13/07 Halifax, NS Cunard Event Centre
7/14/07 Glace Bay, NS Savoy Theatre
7/16/07 Saint John's, NF Mile One Centre
7/22/07 Portland, ME Cumberland Co. Civic Center
7/23/07 Boston, MA Agganis Arena
7/24/07 New York, NY Madison Square Garden Arena
7/25/07 Wallingford, CT Chevrolet Theatre
7/27/07 Wilmington, DE Grand Opera House
7/28/07 Fairfax, VA Patriot Center
7/29/07 North Myrtle Beach, SC House Of Blues
7/30/07 Birmingham, AL Sloss Furnace
7/31/07 Southaven, MS Snowden Grove Park

In other Jack White news it was reported a couple of days ago that there will in fact be another Raconteurs album. The band is currently hard at work trying to get as much done as possible before Jack hits the road - read about it here. Broken Boy Soliders was one of my favorite albums of last year, so I'm quite excited about another album and tour at some point.

Check out this live set from Vegoose...

The Raconteurs - 2006-10-28 - Vegoose - Las Vegas, NV

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Latest 'Roo Addition

I feel like I've been slacking on posting anything of note over here, while Bonnawho's Who has been getting all my love - more posts this week, I promise. Speaking of Bonnaroo they added Pete Yorn to the line-up late last week - much to the delight of the ladies and Garden Staters heading down there. I may not be much of a fan so not really too excited about this addition, but for my money Musicforthemorningafter may be one of the best album titles ever.

I Love Tuesdays

Here are the purchases for the week....

Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare

Golden Smog - Blood On The Slacks

Monday, April 23, 2007

Music Video Mondays

I really loved this Viva Voce video for "From The Devil Himself" it's a great homage to John and Yoko's Bed-In, enjoy.....