Over the weekend Sting turned 60 years olds, and on the eve of his birthday, he took the stage at Beacon Theatre for a birthday concert and benefit for the Robin Hood Foundation. Joining him were the likes of Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Lady Gaga, and Robert Downey, Jr., amongst others. more ›

Also this week: more ›

Bold faced names showed up for the re-opening of the gloriously renovated Beacon Theatre last night. With Paul Simon performing, Fox News' Roger Friedman spotted celebrities like Paul McCartney with girlfriend (and MTA board member) Nancy Shevell, Jon Bon Jovi with wife Dorothea, Harvey Weinstein and Georgina Chapman, Rosie O’Donnell and Kelli Carpenter, Whoopi Goldberg, James Gandolfini and his wife, Jimmy Fallon with wife Nancy Juvnonen— plus Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. Friedman wrote:

he night was billed just as a Paul Simon, and that would have been enough. Simon played for over two hours with a twenty minute intermission, and covered all parts of his solo career from “You Can Call Me Al,” “Graceland,” and “Boy in the Bubble” to earlier hits like :”Me and Julio,” “Loves Me Like A Rock,” “Late in the Evening,” and “Slip Slidin’ Away.” For very old Simon fanatics, he threw in “Duncan” from his first solo album. more ›

Designated a landmark in 1979, the 2,800-seat Beacon Theatre has undergone a $16 million restoration, and earlier today the final look of their 7-month-long project was unveiled. Thanks to the work of thousands, the venue "is back to its original 1929 grandeur, fulfilling the commitment the company made to New York when it acquired the theatre in November, 2006." A full list of restorations can be found after the jump, and the NY Times has a cute story about an old gold-painted coffee tin discovered during the facelift and found to be the fixture supporting "the principal ornament at the tip of the 900-pound chandelier in the rotunda" (pictured here). more ›

On a recent weekend, we saw Jacques Torres loading boxes of delectable treats from a van into his new store Jacques Torres Chocolate store at 285 Amsterdam Avenue, near 73rd Street, leaving us impressed at his commitment as a small business owner. Today, the chocolatier and the store are mentioned in a NY Times article that examines the emergence of Amsterdam Avenue as an option for retailers, who have traditionally been attracted to Broadway and Columbus Avenues for Upper West Side locations. more ›

The Cablevision Dolans are planning to sink their claws into another Manhattan space: The Beacon Theatre. A long-term lease has been negotiated between the theater's owner and MSG Entertainment - one that has MSG paying much more than the current tenant, which may mean the Beacon's ticket prices would go up even more. more ›

The lottery can be entered here. We're not even huge Rolling Stones fans, but could you imagine seeing them play to 2000 people on Halloween night? Seems like it would be pretty unforgettable. more ›

As soon as Bright Eyes (and the Faint) are finished hogging Webster Hall this week, former Conor Oberst label mate Rilo Kiley take over for a two day run. Former child actress Jenny Lewis leads this band of safe OC-ready indie pop-rockers. For a taste of Rilo, download MP3s of their entire Coachella performance. Portastatic and The Brunettes open both shows on Thursday and Friday. more ›

Page Six mentions that CPW is Sheryl Crow's favorite jeans store. I've shopped at CPW, as it's in the Upper West Side, my neighborhood. It's now moved to 84th Street and Amsterdam, but when it was next to the Beacon Theatre on Broadway and West 75th, it was convenient to go there before heading to the best grocery store ever, Fairway. I've never seen Sheryl Crow at CPW, but have bumped into Kyra Sedgwick and actor-slash-musician Kevin Bacon there. more ›