Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz has gone and become a playwright. Duritz collaborated with Stephen Belber on a musical titled Black Sun, which will debut at the Ojai Conference in California this week... but the story is all New York City. It stars Evan Rachel Wood and James Carpinello, and will follow the lives of eight New Yorkers. The description reads: more ›

What's Adam Duritz of Counting Crows fame up to these days? After seeing this photo it's our belief that he is riding the rails, looking for love, going home and penning Missed Connections while listening to August and Everything After on repeat. Okay, we want to believe that, but he's got a girlfriend, and as this photo shows, he's too busy being a textbook subway douche. (Yes, we've confirmed with the NYC the Blog folk that in this photo he isn't trying to get out of the train—he rode in that spot, blocking the door, until Bleecker Street; this photo was taken at 59th Street.) If the Rain King can't show a little courtesy underground, what chance have we got? more ›

Hey look, the Counting Crows are still around. Recently frontman Adam Duritz answered a few of our questions prior to playing at Summerstage (which goes down this evening at 6). We'll always love "August and Everything After," but it speaks volumes that the New Yorker he admires most is Robert Moses. more ›

The reviews are out, and Chris Rock is getting a mixed bag of feedback for his duties as the MC of the Oscars. The NY Daily News' David Bianculli says he wasn't edgy or funny enough, Variety says his opening monologue was great (subscription required), the Hollywood Reporter says that Rock wasn't on a roll, and the Washington Post's Tom Shales says Rock was strangely lame and mean-spirited. Gothamist wonders if there's a generational divide between the reviewers, because we thought Rock was the best thing about the Oscars. It's like some of these reviewers weren't familiar with Rock's material before. At least Tim Robbins (left, photo AP), whom Chris Rock made fun of, could take a joke ... we think. As for the show, sure, it seemed to move quickly and was "well-produced," and, yes, we were happy certain people won, but since there wasn't much enthusiasm for any one nominee, the whole show was boring. And Gothamist doesn't care what Gil Cates's "producer's blog" says! more ›

It's good to know that Winona Ryder is basically like the Welcome Wagon for any semi-cute up-and-coming would-be rocker - at least someone is looking out for the lads. That's why she was the focus of a VH1 All Access:Winona Rules! Truly, it makes sense for Winona to be featured, because as Courtney Love says, as quoted on the show's site, "You’re no one in music until you have feuded with me or until you sleep with Winona!” more ›