Bjork 2pm Concerts? Yeeeeeesssssssss
Since I am going to Governors Ball, and since I saw Bjork last time she played, an excellent gig at Roseland, I was gonna pass on the City Centre – Carnegie Hall gigs until…. TWO PM SATURDAY AFTERNOON CONCERTS!!!
Let’s Active: rock nyc Concert Picks Week Of January 19th, 2015
We take a break from our usual all rock shows all the time, to check out Louis C.K. at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night. $25 a tix including ALL TICKETMASTER CHARGES! For most bands $25 is the ticketmaster charges alone. I’d seen Louis C.K. at City Center (here) and thought he was hysterically funny and see no reason to expect less on this his third and final date at MSG and of his tour.
D’Angelo Presale Code For the Apollo Theatre, Harlem, February 7th, 2015 Gig Available HERE!!!!
So I emailed Ticketmaster to ask them, a hail Mary and they came through and so does your everloving rock nyc who DOES NOT CHARGE FOR PRESALE CODES, when we can get em.
Tennis System At Amoeba, Thursday January 15th 2015
With Tennis System, distortion reigns all over the tracks thanks to a myriad of pedals, turning the soundscapes into a thick and loud monster. Named one of the ‘LA bands to watch in 2015’ by the LA Weekly, the trio played an in-store presented by Amoeba and Converse Rubber Tracks
Is There Such Thing That Inherited Nostalgia?
Without any study, I bet most people, whatever their age have some kind of nostalgia for the music of the 60’s , because of its unique quality, but I am not sure ot can be repeated, as I don’t know if the same kind of nostalgia will be involved for the Foo Fighters, Green Day or Linkin Park, the Red Hot Chili Peppers or even Muse…
D’Angelo Playing Apollo Theatre February 7th, Good Luck Getting A Ticket
A friend of mine does business with WBLS but they go on sale at 10am on Monday (MLK day) and I doubt I will hear back on time, Apollo A List is a $75 charge so screw that and Ticketmaster presale…? What’s that about? I tried everything. I even tried phoning em, got throught to an automated system who advised me everybody was busy and disconnected me.
Brainstorming Synesthesia At Sonos Studios, Wednesday January 14th 2015
I am still unsure but it may be a good start to say that the artists and scientists’ intensions were the ineluctable need of multi-collaboration, the connection between people, and the inevitable requirement for our brains to synchronize…
The Tomas Doncker Band And Manu Koch And Filtron M At The Iridium, January 14th, 2015
A female friend on Facebook had dubbed Tomas “hot” the other day and he certainly exudes a rough hewn sexuality, tall and strong , in a pork pie hat, he commands the stage, expecting and insisting upon and audience reaction
Must See: Snoop And Diddy, January 2015
Hot 97 Presents: The Tip-Off starring Puff Daddy & Snoop Dogg on February 12 th. 2015. A Thursday, which isn’t a Friday but isn’t a Sunday either. And the chance to see two legends, one of whom stands as the inventor of modern hip hop and the other one of the great voices of rap.
Must See: Belle And Sebastian At Radio City June 2015
The opening acts, Real Estate and Diarrhea Planet. Real Estate are boring live but a half hour set might handle that problem and really, they’re a band I always feel I kinda miss out on for some reason. I once saw one of the members smoking pot which has nothing to do with anything of course but I thought I’d share
Must See: Snoop And Diddy, January 2015
Hot 97 Presents: The Tip-Off starring Puff Daddy & Snoop Dogg on February 12 th. 2015. A Thursday, which isn’t a Friday but isn’t a Sunday either. And the chance to see two legends, one of whom stands as the inventor of modern hip hop and the other one of the great voices of rap.
Must See: Snoop And Diddy, January 2015
Hot 97 Presents: The Tip-Off starring Puff Daddy & Snoop Dogg on February 12 th. 2015. A Thursday, which isn’t a Friday but isn’t a Sunday either. And the chance to see two legends, one of whom stands as the inventor of modern hip hop and the other one of the great voices of rap.
Lauryn Hill Small Axe, Large Prices
That’s right, the cheapest ticket is $125. What world do you pay $125 to hear this hoarse nitwit perform whenever she can be bothered. Lauryn Hill is delusional and this won’t help in the slightest. Forget it refugee…
Live, Slideshow
Jason Isbell And Sturgill Simpson At WinStar Casino, Thackerville, Oklahoma, Saturday, January 10th, 2015 Reviewed
I don’t know what a happily married Jason Isbell will mean in terms of his future art, but I know I’ll be first in line to check out the results. To borrow a phrase from Van Morrison, Isbell is a working man in his prime right now. It’s nice to see one of the good guys win.
Live, Slideshow
David Cassidy At BB Kings Take Two
“I think I love”? Oh yes David Cassidy, after all these years I still have a little crush on you and judging from your audience last night at BB Kings, so do many others.
David Cassidy At BB Kings, Saturday, January 10th, 2015, Reviewed
When he is being insincere he remains sincere. There is a forthright emotional tug on “Doesn’t Somebody Want To Be Wanted”, even the spoken word part where he is trying to sound insincere. I really admire the way he enunciates, the way he interprets every word, how he pours himself into his song.
Let’s Active: rock nyc Concert Picks Week Of January 12th, 2015
The Tomas Doncker Band, purveyors of rock nyc’s Album Of The Year, with jazz wild guy Manu Koch and Filton M, perform two sets at the Iridium, Times Square citadel of cool on Wednesday. this looks like the first “wow” gig of the year and shouldn’t be missed.
Billy Joel At Madison Square Garden, Friday, January 9th, 2014, Reviewed
At 65 years old and a year deep into the MSG , Guinness Book of Records heading stand and he might not be the frisky pitbull of old, when he delivers a full, taking the mic stand and singing at the tip of the stage “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” the man is still enthralling
The Dictators NYC At Alex’s Bar, Long Beach, Ca, Wednesday, January 7, 2015, Reviewed
Handsome Dick and crew commandeered the small stage at Alex’s Bar with the cockiness of a teen-generate getting away with some heavy petting with the head cheerleader in his family’s basement while The New York Dolls blared on the stereo and his parents are in the living room watching “Father Knows Best”
No Pop, Classic Rock Or Reggae At Music Fest 2015
You’d expect it to be a snapshot of current popular music, not really so involved in demo, or hipness, but an overview, with battling POV bands, something for everyone. But it isn’t. Where is pop music, country, hip hop, reggae and classic rock.
SummerStage & Santa Monica Pier Twilight Concert Series Preview Showcase, Thursday, January 8th, 2015, Reviewed
Hollie’s gift is her melody and her temperament, watching her is like being accosted by a sunflower, is perfect for what she does. The tunes are sweet, light, but they get you there, and songs like “Desdemona”, “99” and set opener “Ari Up”
Governors Ball 2015 Line Up: Again, Where Is That One Huge Band?
Well, it is better than Coachella and certainly closer. It is a lot like Coachella though they do tend to miss one big name and , they tend to leave off one big name till later in the year. Even so something is left to be desired.
American Nightmare (Give Up The Ghost) At The El Rey, Sunday January 4th 2015
Hardcore is lived like a religion by many people, and you can witness a fervor, a physical participation of the audience which do not see its equivalent at any other show, and with American Nightmare last Sunday night, this had never been truer
Don’t Miss: City Parks Foundation’s Summer Preview Tomorrow, January 8th, 2015
The great thing about the Summerstage teaser in the wilds of winter in nyc is not just, or even necessarily, the performers at the City Parks Foundations annual early showcase, but the promise of a summer yet to come, as the really cold, dreary weather settles into your bones
Whatever Happened To Coachella?
None of them can come close. Jack White is playing MSG later this month and he couldn’t fill that, AC/DC can sell out an Arena, sure, but a stadium? I don’t think. You might expect at least one huge name. A Springsteen, or U2… McCartney, something to blast it over the top, but you won’t find it
The Temptations And The Four Tops On Broadway, The Palace Theatre, Saturday, January 3rd, 2015, Reviewed
Original member Otis Williams respected the Temptations legacy more than the Four Tops did through playing smart, strong arrangement of their catalog, better, more important, with more pride, than tributing the Temptations late leaders is to make them viable even today
Let’s Active: rock nyc’s Top Concert Picks Week Of January 5th, 2015
While David Cassidy might be a 64 year old chips and scampi circuit nostalgia merchant with one too many DUIs on his record, at BB King’s on Saturday night he will be KEITH PARTRIDGE and a lot of middle aged women (and one middle aged man who should know better) will think we love him!
Mr. Little Jeans, Run River North, Ceci Bastida, Made in Heights And Dorothy At Grand Park New Year’s Eve
Since the place has been tested by Jay Z’ Made in America festival this summer, the organizers seem to push the limits and despite the frigid temperatures – we had the coldest night of the year – there were a lot of people out there, waiting for midnight
2014 Most Popular Tours
Country is hiding in the sidelines, four artists if you include the Eagles, nostalgia buffs rule, eight if you include the Eagles, younger poptarts with seven upstarts (no, don’t include the Eagles) are well attended. Plus two wobblers, Robbie Williams and Michael Buble, just to keep us wondering
Litronix, Ghostporn, Thee Commons And Rudy De Anda At The Echo, Monday December 29th 2014
the overall brew was a mix of surf-60s rock beats, with a heavy Latino flavor in the lyrics,… well, they sang in Spanish of course. People knew all their moves, knew they could turn a nervous bass line into a cumbia dance party, and of course there was the expected song going overboard
Best Concerts 2014
In retrospect, the Governors Ball was just tremendous. Three days, but home before 1am each night, of first grade, top of line modern popular music. From Skrillex to Outkasts, from the Strokes to Grimes, from Jenny Lewis to run The Jewels, this was the one.
Skrillex And Diplo At Madison Square Garden, New Year”s Eve 2014, Reviewed
Maybe five years ago, I was at a house party where Afrobeats were performing and standing to his side, I watched him manipulate tapes, beats, volumes, and the thing about EDM is when you watch a great DJ perform it is like watching a great guitarist take a solo and it is all in the hands and when you can’t see… No wait, much like EDM this review suffers from ADD
A Darlene Love Christmas At BB King's, Friday, December 26th, 2014 Reviewed
It’s a nostalgia trip but also its a trip into what makes life worth living by one of our greatest singers. I started by saying that Darlene belts em too hard but if you could belt em too hard at 73 wouldn’t you?
My Best Concerts of 2014 (Part 1)
Nick Cave: I saw him twice this year, and it was totally spectacular because I even met him in person! First, at the Los Angeles premiere of his fake autobiographical movie, ‘20,000 days on Earth’ at the Egyptian theater on June 10th
My Best Concerts of 2014 (Part 2)
Paul didn’t play the nostalgia vibe too much, of course there were plenty of old songs, but some new ones too, and his dynamism on stage and simplicity while talking to the huge crowd was so comforting. From my seat, he looked like a tiny ant at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, but he ignited the sea of people, and the sing-alongs were heart warming
A Bloody Spectacular XMAS Eve Eve At The Echo, Tuesday December 23rd 2014
I even saw a girl with a fake Kardashian-derriere and another one with a unibrow, a half-shaved head and long blonde pubic hair in front of her blue dress! Was all this real? A joyous nightmare before Christmas
IAN, Media Jeweler, Johnathan Rice (w/Jenny Lewis) And Girlpool At The Echo, Monday December 22nd 2014
I realized at that moment that the girl duo was a real phenomenon, despite having only released an EP. And I totally got it, there was plenty of personality (nice and feisty) and attitude (feminism) there, served by a very efficient minimalism of evocative guitar-bass combo and sweet-harmonies galore
Kill My Coquette At The Three Clubs, Saturday December 20th 2014
If you needed more proof that Sperl is more than a pretty girl, she actually wrote and arranged the songs of their upcoming EP – that the band recorded at Evelyn Martin Recordings in Los Angeles with Tom Waits and Social Distortion’s producer, Danny McGough. So wait for Kill My Coquette’s EP set to be released on January 20th
Morrissey Names London 02 Gig Best Of Tour… Barclay Center? Not So Fast…
I am continually humbled by such determination, and I scarcely know what to say by way of appreciation. Julia attended her 625th show at Istanbul, and I wonder if any living human has been to so many shows by the same artist or band?
Bob Seger At Madison Square Garden. Friday, December 19th, 2014, Reviewed
At his most complex he is in the working place where, as Jarvis Cocker once noted, common people watch their lives slip out of view. You don’t have to guess with Seger, you don’t have to interpret, he is the poet of desperation and he is the poet laureate of the simple need to be someone
Billy Joe Shaver At City Winery, Wednesday, December 17th, 2014, Reviewed
What do you want to give up? A mid concert “Honky Tonk Heroes” with Shaver yodeling like Slim Whitman? A last song “You Just Can’t Beat Jesus”? The story leading up to “Ragged Old Truck” which culminates in Shaver lying in bed and trying to kill himself?
Feels, Burnt Ones, Corners And Cosmonauts At The Echo, Sunday December 14th 2014
I spent another Sunday night at the Echo, and this brought me right back in the middle of last summer, with a ‘Part Time Punks’ soiree featuring Feels, Burnt Ones, Corners and Cosmonauts… another sleep-depraved 24 hours in perspective to start the week, but it was all worth it
Frozen In Time II Release Party At Vacation Vinyl, Saturday December 13th 2014
San Francisco record label Black Horizons has released a new cassette compilation of music by artists L’Acephale, Spettro Family, German Army, Micromelancolié, Night Worship, and Head Dress, and all the music was composed in order to be played in time with the films of Ingmar Bergman
The Old 97’s, Majestic Theater, Dallas, Texas, Saturday, 13 December, 2014 Reviewed
This was a night of summation, of triumph, of lessons perfected after endless years of road testing. In 2014, it appears that the Old 97’s are commercially and artistically exactly where they want to be. I hope to see their four decade victory lap in 2034
David Gray, Conor Oberst And Ryan Adams At KSCN Benefit Concert, Friday December 12th 2014
It’s simple, my car radio has been stuck to 88.5 KCSN forever and even Macca occasionally gives them a phone call to show his support when he is in town.
I Heart Radio And Z-100's Jingle Ball 2014 At Madison Square Garden, December 12th, 2014, Reviewed
They’ve done better with less. It was like radio but since the medium wasn’t radio and since they pushed the concept of a live radio show well past the point of no return, it didn’t happen the way it should have.
Taylor Swift Celebrated Her 25th Birthday At Z-100 Jingle Ball, Friday, December 12th (And 13th)
This wasn’t just Taylor sharing her birthday, but also her first post-“Blank Space” performance in her adopted city, and more? It was indeed the first concert she has performed in New York City since moving to the city and at the biggest pop music show of the year.
10 Songs: Friday, December 12th, 2014
A Doe To A Deer – Los campesinos – They can sound like classic rock until Garth starts singing and then they sound like Los Campesinos with his ultra wordy lyrics, and this seasonal track isn’t bad at all but it isn’t very Christmassy if you see what I mean – B
Daniel Lanois At Amoeba, Monday September 8th 2014
I mostly hear some atmospheric alt country sound with lots of guitars and a haunting pedal steel, not only because of his long association with country artists such as Willie Nelson or Emmylou Harris, but also for having seen him play on stage with alt-rock bluesy artist Rocco De Luca
Laura Marling At Beacon Theater, Monday, December 8th, 2014 Reviewed
She made two declarations of desire and limitations in a theatre with one of the cleanest sounds in the city, the acoustics were tremendous and you could hear every beat, every movement of her fingers down the fret. And then she walked and I swear I didn’t exhale once