This Week's Music Picks

Monday - 18th

If you still haven't experienced the excellent sounds of of anti-folkster Jaymay, you have another chance for free tonight at the Living Room.

Mercury Lounge - Inward Eye, Favorite Sons, Earl Greyhound, Blood Red Sun, VAUX
Living Room - Jim Campilongo, Jesse Harris, JAYMAY, Chris Chandler, Randy Kaplan
Pianos - Mick Flannery, If When, Odiorne (ex-Mercury rev), Greek Embassy
Tonic - MV/EE Medicine Show, Samara Lubelski
Trash - Penumbra Derry, O'Doyle Rules, Citizens of Contrary Knowledge, Incidental Bliss, Don't Stop, USS Monitor, Dover Drive
Central Park Summerstage - Lyle Lovett
Wingate Field (Brooklyn) - Ohio Players, Cameo, Slave (free)

ELVIS COSTELLO & EMMYLOU HARRIS

Tuesday - 19th

"Hard-Fi comes to town tomorrow night for their first NYC show. They'll be at the Mercury Lounge tomorrow and then at Rothko on Wednesday. I'm pretty fired up about this show. Their album Stars of CCTV is great - an upbeat, britpopish sound. Their singles "Cash Machine," "Tied Up Too Tight," and "Hard to Beat" are especially strong. Also on the bill for the Mercury show are Nine Black Alps, Sam Champion, and The Cribs (it's almost like an NME-approved show). See you there." [This Twilight Garden] (@ Mercury Lounge tonight & Rothko Wed)

""There's nothing better than singing with Emmylou Harris," says Elvis Costello, who brings the country-rock chanteuse out for an eleven-date tour. In addition to reprising two duets from Costello's country-tinged 2004 album, The Delivery Man, Harris will also sing lead on some of her own tunes and duet with Costello on covers and chestnuts from his catalog." [Rolling Stone]

"...we're playing our second to last show before we leave to record our LP in Louisiana. It's Saxon Shore's record release party. They play epic, ethereal music. We like that. It's with My Best Fiend as well. we will be playing almost all new material in our next two shows. we hope to see you before we cast off. [Other Passengers] (@ Tonic)

Mercury Lounge - The Cribs, Hard-Fi, Sam Champion, Nine Black Alps
Knitting Factory (Old Office) - Erik Friedlander, Lucia Pulido
Rothko (Vicious' 2nd Birthday Party) - The Soft Explosions, PS, Surefire, The Harlem Shakes, The IO's
Tonic - Other Passengers, My Best Fiend, Saxon Shore
Central Park Summerstage - Elvis Costello & The Imposters Featuring the Vocal Sylings of Emmylou Harris
Living Room - Jennifer Matthews, Jon Randall, Cilla, Teddy Godlstein, Emma Peel, Freeddy Johnston
BB King's - From Ashes Rise, Leftover Crack, The Subhumans, World Inferno Friendship Society
Joe's Pub - Leslie Gore, Daby Toure
Makor - Anna Egge
World Financial Center Plaza - Tinariwen (free)
Cake Shop - Cross Pollination with the Animators & Tim Blane
S.O.B.'s - Remy Ma, Mike Murphy, Ryan Leslie
Central Park Great Lawn - NY Philharmonic (free)
Ft. Greene Park - Boot Camp Click featuring Buck Shot, Sean Price, Smif N Wessan

Wednesday - 20th

It's the show everyone's been talking about. In honor of Viscious' third birthday, four of New York City's hottest bands descend on Park Slope for one very sold out show at Southpaw.

Alternatively, Scissor Sisters and Morningwood play a secret show at Merucry Lounge. This one is also way sold out. Here's pics from last week's secret Scissor Sisters show, and Morningwood was pretty popular at Siren on Saturday.

Glasshouse Gallery - 50 Million, Ill Ease, Bent Outta Shape, Flanagan
Knitting Factory (Main Space) - Maria Taylor of Azure Ray, Statistics, Taylor Hollingsworth
Northsix - Joshua, Pretendo, Bear Claw, Con Amore, Hunters, Run!
Rothko - Hard-Fi, Soft, Favorite Sons
Southpaw - Saints and Lovers, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Dirty on Purpose, Dr. Dog
Tonic - Wooden Wand and The Vanishing Voice, Castanets, I Heart Lung
Cake Shop - No Things (ex-Liars), Tunnel of Love, S.S.S.Spectres
Pianos - Innaway (free @ 10:30)
Pianos - Have Her Home By Ten
Trash - AIREOKE, Will Hanza & Crossquarter Days, Dr. Hourai
Bowery Ballroom - Keren Ann, Andrew Bird
Central Park - "Nike Run Hit Wonder" with Fountains of Wayne, Joan Jett, The Donnas
Rocks Off Boat Cruise - The Slackers
South Street Seaport - Northern State, Army of Me (free)
Crotona Park - Roy Ayers (free)
Rockefeller Park - Regina Carter (free)
Joe's Pub - Tinariwen (early and late)
S.O.B.'s - Yerba Buena
Mercury Lounge - Scissor Sisters & Morningwood (both secrets. shhhhhhhh)

MU

Thursday - 21st

"The Donnas represent all that is good about music. They are enthusiastic and unpretentious, edgy and cool, a welcome change from the multitude of preening drones shamelessly mass-produced and force-fed to consumers. The band members are gifted, power-pop divas who provide a ray of sonic sunshine in an often-dreary music world." [PopMatters] (@ Hudson River Park for FREE)

"The pre-marathon festivities commence Thursday, July 21st at a very special Central Park Summerstage ASSSSCAT show headlined by all 4 founding members of the Upright Citizens Brigade troupe--Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh. Get well rested Thursday night because EVERY LIVING IMPROVISER FROM THIS GREAT NATION will bludgeon your remaining senses over the next three joyous days" [The Apiary]

We were considering featuring the Juan McLean, MU show at the top of today's post. After all, people are raving about the new Juan McLean album and even the New Yorker's Sasha Frere Jones likes MU, BUT everything we read about the Juan McLean's live performance is not good, SO go at your own risk (well maybe don't miss MU at least). Read Pitchfork's review of MU's last album. (@ Rothko) (and both of them are playing other places on Saturday too)

Pier 54 (Hudson River Park) - The Donnas, Rock-N-Roll Soldiers (free)
Webster Hall - Kaiser Chiefs, The Cribs, The Redwalls
Castle Clinton - M. Ward
Bowery Ballroom - Coheed & Cambria, Panthers
Knitting Factory - Neva Divona, Mayday
Magnetic Field - Detachment Kit, Country Club
Rare - The Song Corporation, The Art of Shooting, Still Division, Sneakshot
Maxwell's - The Wrens, The Milwaukees, The Amber Jets
Cake Shop - Tomorrow's Friend, The Mirrors, Blood on the Wall
Lit - The Management, Stylofone, The March Fourth, Jungle Junkies
Rothko - Mu, The Juan MacLean
The Delancey - 33hz, Madison, Marco Argiro, Lion & Tigers, The Octagon (free)
Sputnik - Lonesome Jack, Teedo, Apollo Heights
Irving Plaza - Esthero, Leela James
Rocks off Boat Cruise - Black 47, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Von King Park - Roy Ayers, Platinum Pied Pipers
Summerstage - Upright Citizens Brigade (comedy) (free)
Wagner Park - Michael Hill Blues Mob (free)
South Street Seaport - Jaguar Wright (free)
Asser Levy Park (Coney Island) - Abba the Music & Sheena Easton(free)

Friday - 22nd

"ALLOY ORCHESTRA performs its latest score, written especially for a newly-restored print of the chilling 1925 Lon Cheney silent classic PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. The Brooklyn-based Finnish folksters KAIKU start off the evening with some spookily beautiful harmonies." [Celebrate Brooklyn] @ Prospect Park Bandshell

Knitting Factory (Main Space) - The Academy Is..., Plain White T's, Days Away
The Delancey - Vitamen, English Department, Heavy Rescue, Careful Little Hands
Ace of Clubs - The Giraffes, The Twenty-Twos, Fresh Kills
Mercury Lounge - Man in Gray, Looker, The Joy Zipper, Demander, Hail Social
Rothko - Cordero, Barra Libre, Pistola, Damian Quinones
Tonic - Lightning Bolt, Afrirampo, Maniac Mansion
Trash - The Fakers, The Undersea Explosion, The Everyothers, Frank Bango, Mighty High
Pianos - Electric Turn to Me, Four Volts, The Black Spoons, Imaginary Bill
Pianos (upstairs) - Dfactor & Greg Hoy Rockin' the Acoustics
Cake Shop - The Diggs, Aloke, Print
Irving Plaza - Coheed & Cambria
Pete's Candy Store - Alec Ounsworth (of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah)
Boogaloo - The Roachclips (The Coachwhips doing covers), Intelligence, Trin Tran, Child Abuse
Bowery Ballroom - Teenage Fanclub, The Rosebuds
Maxwell's - M. Ward, Norfolk and Western
PNC Bank Arts Center - O.A.R. with Pepper and The Southland
BB King's - The Dan Band, Jaguares
Bryant Park (Good Morning America) - Fantasia Barrino
Lambs Theatre - Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players
Sunset Jam on the Hudson - Dave's True Story (free)
South Street Seaport - Rodney Crowell (free)
Prospect Park Bandshell - Phantom of the Opera (movie) with Alloy Orchestra / Kaiku
Sidewalk Cafe - Fenton Lawless ("Maybe you heard his song in that Al Pacino movie, maybe you saw him act with Harrison Ford in Airforce One, now you can see him live at Sidewalk"), The Jones Street Boys, Joe Moore, The Undisputed Heavyweights, Creaky Boards

Saturday - 23rd

MU is @ P.S.1. The Juan McLean is @ Tribeca Grand for free. (see Thursday)

We already explained why Lightning Bolt shows are "essential." Tale of Two Cities points out that this show is in...QUEENS.

Parking Lot in LIC - Lightning Bolt, Afrirampo, Big A little a, USAISAMONSTER, Free Blood, Eloe Omoe, Japanther, Parts and Labor, Growing, Matt & Kim
Rothko - Pilot to Gunner, Her Majesty, Fort Ancient
Sin-e - On My Signal, The Warwicks, Another Day Late, Writ in Water, Camilla
Tonic - Gary Higgins, Ben Chasny (of Six Organs of Admittance)
Trash - Susu, Call Me Lightning, Kickstart, Hearts on Fire, The Soviettes
Northsix - Drunk Horse, Made Out Of Babies, Fake Swedish
Don Hill's - The Isles, Four Volts, The March Fourth
Mercury Lounge - Peelander-Z, Adam Ezra Group, Austin Hartley Leonard, More
Bowery Ballroom - Teenage Fanclub, The Rosebuds
Tribeca Grand Hotel (FIXED party) - The Juan MacLean
Cake Shop - The Stalkers, Electric Shadows
The Dream's Rooftop - The Coachwhips, Intelligence, Trin Tran, Child Abuse
Jones Beach - Anita Baker with Babyface
Lambs Theatre - Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players
Central Park Summerstage - BETTY, Tracy Bonham, Jane Siberry
Prospect Park Bandshell - Boricua Festival! EDDIE PALMIERI Y LA PERFECTA II / WILLIAM CEPEDA BOMBASHE / plus Bimbo "El Oso Manoso" / Boys Harbor Conservatory Youth Ensemble / Miguel Algarin / La Salsa de Hoy / Los Trios Gentiles
P.S.1 - Live: MU & Maurice Fulton, Darshan Jesrani, Tim Sweeney

Sunday - 24th

"The Elvis of the under-five set, Dan Zanes takes to the stage with his hair in a wild lion’s mane halo, his corduroy suit slightly rumpled and his banjo at the ready. The 44-year old singer and former front man of Boston rock band The Del Fuegos has turned himself into a modern Pete Seeger, with a heavy dash of P.T. Barnum thrown in" [Summerstage]

Sin-e - Poets of Devotion, Akron/Family, Talibam!, Dirty Churches
Tonic - Jennifer O'Connor, Karla Schickele, Choo Choo La Rouge
Maxwell's - Teengenerate, The Little Killers, The Plungers
Cake Shop - Metric Mile, The Interview, The Smittens
Central Park Summerstage - Dan Zanes & friends, Batoto Yetu
Spirit - Brothers Past

What did we miss?