Results tagged “concert”

Brah, Phish is returning to the Garden. Not Jones Beach, not some festival across the country... Manhattan. This December 2nd, 3rd and 4th, the band will descend upon this fair city, bringing with it a flood of hippie supernumeraries. This is great news for Phish fans, and possibly a warning for the rest of you to take a 3-day trip out of town. Tickets go on sale October 23rd, unless you wanna hold out for a miracle.

As if Mayor Bloomberg didn't already have a lock on the election, now he's got U2 fans in his pocket. Bono, who's never been afraid to look like a tool to get on a politician's good side, took almost a minute out of last night's concert at Giants Stadium to praise Hizzoner. Bono told the crowd that because Bloomberg uses "his enormous wallet to research new treatments for malaria and stuff, he makes me very proud, he also makes me laugh out loud." Bono gave the mayor major props before performing "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For."

              

"I've got a song for those people hiding in the caves," Jay-Z laughed before launching into "99 Problems." A solemn 9/11 benefit this was not. But perhaps it's time to let ourselves celebrate, and at his Answer The Call benefit at Madison Square Garden last night, Jay-Z was all about celebration. He struck the perfect balance between giving respect for all those who gave their lives at Ground Zero, and honoring a city that couldn't be torn down.

This Friday Grizzly Bear fan Jay-Z is performing at the 9/11 charity concert at Madison Square Garden, but as expected, the scalpers are harshing the vibe. The Daily News reports that the rapper slammed the scalpers himself after the reasonably priced tickets (starting at $54.50) were being jacked up and sold online. He released a statement saying, "We are truly disheartened that certain individuals would choose to benefit from what is meant to be a 100% charitable event. We do not support any profits made from reselling any ticket that was meant to be purchased by honest fans." The proceeds go to widows and orphans of New York City cops and firefighters who died in the line of duty, which makes it's particularly disheartening to see tickets being sold for up to $45,000 (!) online. At this rate, scalpers will see more money than those who the event was meant to benefit. While not much can be done, Jay-Z has reportedly taken steps to "head off ticket brokers." Meanwhile, fans who missed out can watch the show broadcast live on Fuse... or as one fan suggested as an alternative form of entertainment, "go down there Friday and see who is getting these tickets."

Sigh, as today's weather hints at: summer is nearly over. This means that the outdoor concerts are coming to an end, with the Pool Parties having their last hurrah on the waterfront yesterday afternoon. Brooklyn band Grizzly Bear helped send off the season, providing a soundtrack with sounds from their latest release Veckatimest as well as their previous effort Yellow House.

One man took to NY1 after being duped by AEG Live when he bought tickets to one of Paul McCartney's Citi Field concerts this summer. They report that Roger Scholl bought two tickets (at $190 a pop) in the field's B6 section, but that section was moved to a less desirable area after the transaction went through. Scholl explains, "What they did was they took where B6 was supposed to be, where the seats were that we had bought, and on the new seating chart there was a section called B5-1 that had physically taken the location where B6 had originally been." After complaints to both the Mets and AEG, he still ended up in the new B6 area when the show started. The Mets have now told NY1: "The seating plans for the Paul McCartney shows underwent some late adjustments due to changes in the staging and production that affected a small number of seats. The Mets worked diligently with concert promoters and Paul McCartney's management to relocate customers whose views in their estimation were compromised." Though they say the sightlines remained consistent with the price, AEG has given disgruntled customer a refund.

                  

The Wiliamsburg Pool Parties will wrap up next Sunday with Grizzly Bear and Beach House, but in many ways yesterday's blowout with Girl Talk felt like the real explosive climax to the summer. Fifteen minutes before Girl Talk went on, the line to get in stood still from the entrance at N 8th Street and ran well past the corner of N 11th. Parks officers seemed constantly on the run throughout the set as the hordes of people shut out of the fun became unruly and threatened to push through or turn over port-a-potties. One reader left a report of a chaotic scene from the front gates where allegedly hundreds of people cut the line and were allowed in by security just as the set was getting under way.

Mayor Bloomberg has laid down the official word on a rumored concert in Queens by the rapper he calls "50 Cents" [sic]. At a press conference he said the rapper "has no plans to perform whatsoever. He might go, but he's not going to perform." The surprise performance was supposed to take place later this month on Family Day at the P.S. 40 school (just blocks from where 50 Cent was nearly fatally shot in 2002). Prior to the attention this was given in the press yesterday, the rapper did have an ad on his website advertising the performance, which has since disappeared. The NY Post reports that the NYPD "were still under the impression as late as Friday that he would be performing—and had yet to be told otherwise even as of yesterday." When asked if he was going to the concert, the Mayor said, "I did not plan to go to the concert because I wanted to go see 50 Cents [sic] and will not get a chance to do that this time." Perhaps he should head to New Jersey the day before! Since, allegedly, the rapper won't be performing in Queens, the paper notes that he'll "bus neighborhood children to his performance at Six Flags amusement park on August 29th." Aw, underneath that bulletproof vest there's a heart of gold!

"Superstar rapper 50 Cent is secretly planning to stage a free concert in a schoolyard near the Queens projects where he grew up," reports the NY Post, as they simultaneously destroy any secretive nature of said concert. The performance will be at P.S. 40 in Jamaica (August 30th, 5:30 p.m.), and will be open to anyone—one NYPD officer warning the paper it would be difficult for them to control the area. A worried local added, "Someone's gonna try to make a name for themselves. They're gonna take a shot at him, and they're either gonna hit him or they're gonna miss him and hit some poor, innocent kid or grandmother." But let's be real, grandmas probably won't be front row and center, right?

              

Forty years ago this weekend, a now legendary 3-day festival took place on Max Yasgur's 600 acre farm in Bethel, New York (just about 100 miles outside of New York City). Initially around 50,000 were expected to attend Woodstock, however it ended up being more like half a million. This page has some interesting statistics; for example, only 186,000 tickets were sold; 320,000 people left before Hendrix went on; it was just 15 bucks for an ounce of pot, and nearly 90% of those in attendance were smoking it.

              

Outdoor summer concerts are really catching a tough break this year with all this storm business. Yesterday was the final day of the All Point West Festival, and with more rain bursting out of the dark sky, all bands scheduled to play before 4:30 p.m. were canceled. Fearless ticket holders who showed up were treated to sets by Coldplay, Ghostland Observatory, Silversun Pickups, Elbow, Echo & the Bunnymen, and more. The headliner, Coldplay, even performed songs by Michael Jackson (video) and the Beastie Boys (video). And between sets, the mud provided plenty of entertainment.

This weekend marks the 2nd annual All Points West festival, and Jay-Z (filling in for the Beastie Boys) is set to headline the first night at the Liberty State Park venue. What's the best way to warm up for a mostly indie crowd? Secretly join the lineup tonight for the pre-APW Diesel party going down at Webster Hall; the lineup features The Roots, Passion Pit and Drake. Blackbook says they have it on good authority this rumor's got legs, providing a detailed list as to why (Lykke Li fans, they also say she'll be stopping by)—#5 on that list claims, "an unnamed source close to the event says that Hov’s showing up to jam on a few songs at the end of The Roots’ set.“ Oh, and his sister-in-law, Solange Knowles, was already announced as a special guest. And a quick note for those heading to APW this weekend: the Observer talked to organizer Paul Tollet, who says the kinks should all be worked out this year—regarding the lines, he told them, “We felt there were a lot of things we didn’t like about last year. I walked around as a fan and stood in those lines, and when you go stand in that line, you get mad."

Hailed as "America's next great band" by Relix Magazine, psychedelic indie-rockers Dr. Dog will charm your fleas off with their shimmering harmonies, crunchy hooks, and affable grooves. Based in Philadelphia, the group's been a fixture on the NYC indie-rock circuit for years now; some music geeks may even remember them playing as part of a buzz band sandwich at Southpaw with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Dirty on Purpose way back in 2005! That was four years ago, and we're old. But Dr. Dog shows now sign of senility, and Saturday night's headlining slot at Celebrate Brooklyn is their biggest New York appearance yet. It's a free concert, with opening support from Brooklyn’s Matthew Houck, a.k.a. Phosphorescent, and electro-folk band These United States. We recently spoke with Dr. Dog's co-founder Scott McMicken about hippies, hipsters, and Baptists.

If you haven't yet seen Andrew Bird live, then you've got a pretty easy decision to make regarding your Thursday night plans: He'll be performing at Radio City Music Hall with his stellar three-piece band, and tickets are still on sale! Of course, if you've already had the Andrew Bird live experience, there's no deciding necessary: to see him once is to be blown away and left wanting more, so you've already got tickets burning a hole in your pocket. We've pretty much exhausted all our superlatives when it comes to Bird, whose voice, violin, guitar, glockenspiel, and virtuoso whistling combine—often simultaneously—to create a sublime, almost unclassifiable pop-Americana soundscape. His most recent album, Noble Beast, is just further proof that Bird's compositional gifts are an embarrassment of riches; but the only proof you'll need, should you remain unconvinced, will be presented in its entirety Thursday night at Radio City, Q.E.D.

The rumor is true, Paul McCartney will be the first musician to grace the stage at Citi Field, as he was all those years ago at Shea. The Daily News confirms the shows will take place on July 17th and 18th, rain or shine. A press release was sent out earlier today in which he declared, "I am really excited about playing Citi Field—The Beatles were the first to play at Shea Stadium and along with Billy Joel, I was the last to sing at the old Shea. So to be the first to play this stadium is incredible. I am really looking forward to a buzzing show." Fans of Macca better stand by on Monday June 15th, tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. that day, exclusively at www.507TIXX.com and by phone at 718-507-TIXX. Meanwhile, if you think you have what it takes to be the 5th Beatle, get psyched for The Beatles: Rock Band—the trailer even includes the Beatles' Shea concert!

Must be tough to be a Yankees and a Macca fan. Looks like Paul McCartney is going to relive the glory days by playing the very first concert at Citi Field, 44 years after he played the very first concert at Shea Stadium with the Beatles, and not even one year after helping bid farewell (with Billy Joel) to that same stadium. The rumor is that he'll be sonically christening the new stadium with shows on July 17th and 18th, and a third performance may be added on the 21st. The Mets have some downtime in their schedule from July 12th and 27th. Stay tuned, and in the meantime, here's some video from his first appearance on a ball field.

This should be interesting. As previously mentioned, the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock is upon us, and there's been talk of bringing the concert to New York City. It seems one of the original organizers (and Bensonhurst native), Michael Lang, wants Prospect Park's Long Meadow to be the Brooklyn substitute for Max Yasgur's 600-acre farm when the anniversary concert takes place later this year. The Daily News reports that he's currently looking for enough sponsor support, and he told the paper, "It's big, it's convenient. There's public transportation - and Brooklyn's cool. I'd love to do it. But it's been a very tough year." The show would be free, and he would need around $10 million to make it happen.

       

Morrissey has been touring his 49-year-old ass off as of late, most recently with a series of smaller shows, perhaps the most intimate being this past Saturday at Bowery Ballroom. There was some notable between-song banter, and Newsday has a Top Ten list of Moz quotes from the night, including "I’m the type who just can’t find love," and "Who am I? This is a question that many have died trying to answer...I can only be identified on a slab, by the scars of pain." (Aw, give this guy a hug if you see him around town.) He also made note of the high security at the venue, saying, "We’re like a jealously guarded can of sardines." Wonder if anyone found love in the audience.

Brooklyn duo Matt and Kim are known for their infectiously energetic shows and their contagious smiles. Providing an upbeat sound with just keys and catchy drum lines, they've won over just about everyone. Did we mention their "cuteness" appeal?

     

Last night Britney Spears took her Circus act to the Nassau Coliseum stage on Long Island, and Newsday, the final word in concert reviews, has a scathing account. The paper makes note of the audience member lapdance, the pop star getting sawed in three, and the Bollywood dance number, but they say it's all "a massive money-making venture designed to play up her talents and distract from her shortcomings." Is this not the foundation upon which pop stars are built? The criticisms continue, as they declare "she always gets a lot of help from her troupe of 12 dancers, who pull her across the stage or give her rides on their bicycles so we don't notice she's only moving at two-thirds speed or not doing all the moves her dancers are."

Is this even surprising? The Daily News reports that the April 4th reunion of surviving Beatles Paul and Ringo sold out in record time, and now organizers are apologizing to angry fans who can only find tickets through scalpers for inflated prices (up to $9,000!). The performance is part of a benefit for the David Lynch Foundation, and the director of the organization told fans, "We were alarmed [to see] that tickets were listed on the scalping sites days before they went on sale." The 1200 remaining tickets (after a fan club pre-sale) were available through Ticketmaster starting Monday at 11 a.m., and allegedly sold out in nine seconds (the Vegas show sold out in 7). Tickets can now be found on eBay and Craigslist, as well as the aforementioned scalper sites.

This morning U2 headed up to Fordham University to wake up the faculty and students with a relatively small, and very early concert. CityRoom reports that security was tight, but five hairdressers from Michigan managed to smooth talk their way in.

Bono & Co. really love popping up and playing unusual shows in New York. Well U2 is back, and this time they're playing in the Bronx! A student at Fordham confirms (through a WFUV exec) that the band will be playing a show for staff and faculty there on March 6th (follow a week long stint on Letterman) at the bright n' early hour of 8 a.m. Word is that "Professors have reportedly been told by the administration to cancel morning classes for security reasons."

    

Last night Robert Thurman's annual Tibet House benefit concert took to Carnegie Hall, featuring performances by Antibalas, The National (who performed two new, untitled songs), Vampire Weekend, Patti Smith, Steve Earle, Angelique Kidjo, Keb' Mo', Philip Glass, and his son Zack (whose performance served as an alternate answer to that age old question, how does one get to Carnegie Hall).

           

Yesterday, the Apollo Theater celebrated its 75th birthday week by announcing special programming for the upcoming season. Besides its cornerstone Amateur Night at the Apollo on Wednesday nights (tonight's Amateur Night will be a birthday celebration with the first 750 tickets going for just $7.50), a big year is planned, full of concerts, panels, collaborations with other cultural institutions and a revival of a beloved musical.

       

It's been a long time since The Killers played Ultragrrl's Prom at Rothko, and since the beginning of the band's career she's been credited with helping catapult them into the spotlight. Last night she was front row center at their Madison Square Garden show, and reports for us on the scene from in front of the stage, and back:

It was cold as f*ck last night in New York City, as hordes of people made their way to Madison Square Garden for the Killers sold-out show. The band decided to play tricks with our little drunken minds by decorating their stage with palm trees and an illuminated light backdrop that echoed a gorgeous sunny day in Hawaii, and was perfect for songs like "Joy Ride" and "I Can't Stay." I love "Joy Ride" by the way. I can't help but think of Latarian Milton, the 7-year old kid who stole his grandmother's car to go joy riding with his friend and do hoodrat stuff. I wish Latarian was at the show last night.

Continue reading "Live from MSG: The Killers"

Just when you thought you could sit this New Year's Eve out, the Knitting Factory pulls you back in. It's no easy task dragging us out of the apartment on amateur night, but this full-club show, curated by Akron/Family, boasts a lineup we couldn't refuse: Dirty Projectors, Deerhoof, Megafaun, Deer Tick and a cast of thousands will invade TriBeCa for what's sure to be an unforgettable night of idiosyncratic alt-indie revelry. It's also the last concert ever at the Knitting Factory's storied Leonard Street location; next year the owners will move to the promised land, across the East River to Williamsburg. Earlier this week, we spoke with Miles Seaton from Akron/Family about the upcoming gig, the forthcoming album, and the best New Year's Eve ever.

Come celebrate the holiday season with us, a bunch of musicians and some Egg Nog n' Maker's Mark—it'll be just like grandma's house...in Gowanus. This Sunday, December 21st, we'll be throwing a seasonal soiree at the big, gorgeous Bell House, in partnership with the After the Jump folk.

Father of Bronx, husband of Ashlee and 1/4 of Fall Out Boy, Pete Wentz, attempted to put on an impromptu concert yesterday with his band. The scene: Washington Square Park; the time: 3:30 p.m.; the outcome: a cappella. One blogger recaps the scene, which they say was "inspired by Bob Dylan’s improptu ’60s performances in the same location." Allegedly Wentz had written about the show on his blog the night before, but "just as the band was about to play, they got in a bit of a scuffle with police, who arrived to inform them that they had not obtained the proper permit and would not be legally allowed to play instruments." Ah, Footloose laws. Apparently the boys were allowed to sing sans instruments, however, so the publicity stunt show went on. One question remains: could this Pete Wentz fella be the rock star that was spotted busking on the 14th Street F platform over the weekend?

The Tibet House has announced initial details for their annual benefit, taking place this coming February 3rd. "Held at legendary Carnegie Hall since 1993, Philip Glass, the benefit's esteemed Artistic Director and Vice President of Tibet House, creates an exceptional show every year, highlighted by unique collaborations between the artists." So far their 19th concert will include performances by The National, Vampire Weekend, Patti Smith & Jesse Smith. Consider this a heads up to buy tickets now, before even more acts are announced. Last year we talked to co-founder of the Tibet House, Robert Thurman, prior to the benefit. [via Brooklyn Vegan]