The last time I saw Billy Idol on stage was 2001 at the Bottom Line. How long ago was 2001? You couldn’t not only not buy a tix for the show online, you also couldn’t buy a ticket to the show with a credit card. Solo acoustic (just Billy and Steve) and he was pretty superb. since then there has been a genital warts and all album and a predictably iffy album but will he bring it still? My bet is he’ll be hot in the city on Wednesday at the Beacon Theatre.
Monday – Marilyn Manson – Terminal 5 – I’m not crazy about him live and actively despise the venue, but The Pale Emperor is his best album in decades and this is the show where he gets to prove if he’s back from the dead, or at leasts till dead.
Monday – Action Bronson – Best Buy – Sure, he’ a hero in his hometown and he also a serious wacko, and he can do it but the new single makes you wonder. He was great at Best Buy last summer…
Tuesday – London Grammer – Terminal 5 – They claim their next will be Michael Jackson meets Prince, I doubt it somehow but this soulful band should be good enough.
Tuesday – Ne Yo – Stage 48 – “One More”, the new single with T.I. is pretty good, and he is one of our best singers period, but his material is consistently second rate when he is not singing the lead song of Disney movies. I did say he is one of our bests ingers…
Wednesday – Vince Gill and Lyle Lovett – Bergen Performing Arts Center – That Gill would go to NJ and not bother with nyc is criminal.
Wednesday – Bettye LaVette – Cafe Carlyle – I saw her once a coupla years ago and it changed me from vaguely hostile to down right crazy about the soul singer.
Wednesday – Viet Cong – Mercury Lounge – I wasn’t crazy about em when I saw em last summer but the new album is big time break through stuff.
Wednesday – Savages – Mercury Lounge – Not a typo, this is the 930 show
Friday – John Oliver – Beacon Theatre – I am gonna catch the 730p for one of the top comedians in the business before
Friday – Jack White – Madison Square Garden – Before seeing a man I was hugely disappointed in both live and on record last year.