Results tagged “generaladmission”

Celebrate the extension of the vendors' permit through the end of their season in October and add on extra festivities for Mexican and Central American Independence Day. Caesar Fuentes, the organizing force behind the vendors, promises that "the food vendors committee will host a livelier than usual weekend event - more soccer games, pinatas, music, and a 2 day art exhibit featuring photographs taken by the food vendors." Sounds good to us.

Andrew Bird, whose inspired 2005 album The Mysterious Production of Eggs was an indie hit, brought his sublime genre-defying songs (and socks) to a sold-out Bowery Ballroom last night. He was joined on percussion and keyboards by regular collaborator Martin Dosh and Jeremy Ylvisaker – a new addition to his road show – on bass and guitar.

Time for a major sugar rush. Head over to the ninth annual Chocolate Show for chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate, with some culinary demonstrations and art thrown in for good measure. $25 tickets, for one day's admission, are available online (via Ticketmaster.com or calling 212-307-7171), and will also be on sale at the door (cash and checks only at the door). Metropolitan Pavillion & Altman Building, 125 West 18th Street. Friday, November 10: 11am to 9pm, Saturday, November 11: 10am to 8pm, Sunday, November 12: 10am to 7pm. Children under 5: Free; Children, 5 to 12: Free, but you're limited to 2 children per adult. Each additional child (5-12): $8.

READING: KGB Bar's Non-Fiction Night is playing host to the Subway

September 16: Waldemar and Nadia at Telepan - Late Summer Cheeses

Mid song, about two and a half in after I got to the Knitting Factory last night during Owen's quiet solo set, someone by the bar shouted out "Emo Sucks!" and the place went quiet. Yikes. I'm not sure anyone knew how to react. Well, yea, it does? But, no, this guy's good...But is this really emo? Perhaps, in the most basic and grounded sense of the word, but...is this EMOSUKS! emo? Or does emo that sucks involve hysteric teenage girls and eyeliner? This was more Elliott Smith or Bright Eyes emo, which most people seem to agree doesn't suck at all. Wait, was that guy actually even serious? It was really quite the loaded statement, uttered by someone who was either a paying attendee of the show or a guest of the band. The idea even crossed my mind that this was part of the song. Mike Kinsella (aka Owen) stopped and attempted to address the guy, but was mostly drowned out by the even more curious calls from the audience that the heckler was a terrorist and hated our freedom. Yeah, this was weird. And we hadn't even gotten to Joan of Arc yet.

There was a time, not too long ago, when I believed that Muse was the best live band on the planet. I was in Ireland at a music festival in the summer of 2004 and witnessed what was one of the most impressive concerts of my life. There were grown men crying beside me shouting "Matt Bellamy is a God!" at the top of their lungs. It just unbelievably surreal.

Siren is always a half-empty/half-full type situation. On one hand, you're getting top tier indie bands playing in New York City for free. On the other, you know going into it the sound will be lousy, the crowds unbearable and the heat incapacitating. Depending on how you play your expectations, it can be a great day or a miserable one. This was my 4th Siren, and while always prepared for the worst, it turned out to be a pretty fun day overall.

Well, I think we all have a new favorite outdoor venue. Yesterday, on a picture perfect Sunday afternoon, thousands flocked to the long abandoned Mccarren Pool in Williamsburg for a free concert from Post-Punk mainstays Les Savy Fav. It was as a New York summer weekend should be. Endless stretches of dirt and concrete filled with beautiful people of all ages out to enjoy the weather. On one side was a frequented slip and slide, on the other was a fenced off dodgeball ring, which made for a fantastic spectator sport between bands. In between those two was the massive elevated stage, which may have been the main draw for some, but acted as simply just another ring in this magical hipster circus.

One of the most energetic and memorable concerts I've ever attended in New York City was Bloc Party at the Roxy for Motherfucker. They were just starting to emerge as the indie powerhouse they've become, and in a Presidents day snowstorm in Chelsea, the traditionally sour and indifferent crowd was more riled up than any I had ever experienced at a NY indie rock show. I still hear people wax poetic about how they wish "Every show could be Bloc Party at Motherfucker." It was really that great.

We're at the home stretch! Sunday was a bit of a quieter day for us, but by no means did the music disappoint. The plan was to make it a short day and get back to civilization that night, but due to some travel miscalculations we ended up sticking around till they kicked us out. Very glad we did.

Horray, more music! Day 2 of Bonnaroo got off to a great start with Dungen at the That Tent. It's quite a trip to hear thousands of people singing along in a language they don't actually understand. Lots of people knew the words, few actually knew what they were saying. Regardless, the energy and presence of this band always impresses, and they left the early risers in high spirits to take on the day. After them were Gothamist pals Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, who played to what we assume was the largest crowd they've been in front of that was the most unfamiliar with the songs. We actually had people ask us "Who is Clap Your Hands whatever whatever?" For the first time in over a year. This touches on one of the great things about the festival. Even though the lineup skewed more towards the indie scene than in previous years, the majority of the crowd was still there for the major jam bands. This put bands like CYHSY in a position to show off their talents in front of musically open minded people who may not have otherwise have gone to see them. Their set was marred with technical difficulties, which was a shame cause it hindered the flow a bit, but nonetheless, once the songs came out, the crowd was bouncing along and enjoying themselves as expected. That’s what we always like to see.

Gothamist headed down to Manchester, Tennessee with over 80,000 other music fans from across genres and across the world to take in Bonnaroo 2006. Three days of some of the best bands around from Jam to Jazz to Rap to Rock. We were up bright and early Friday morning to get the weekend off to the right start.

There are two Guns n Roses cover bands making the rounds these days that have the kids talking. One, of course, is fronted by Axl Rose, but those guys don't even bother to try and LOOK like the old guys. That's no fun. They sound pretty good though. The other is long running, self proclaimed "Drunkest GnR cover band in the world," Mr. Brownstone, who we interviewed last week. While they lack any actual members of the original band, they at least look the part. It helps. It was somewhat more satisfying to hear some kid in a messy black wig jump up on the drum riser and play the opening chords to 'Sweet Child of Mine' than it was to see this guy do it.

through June 18: 1996 at Rain

First off, I know it's beyond cliché, but before it's too late, go see a band at CBGBs. Put all the history, recent real estate battles and the rest of the bullshit aside, it's a really great place to see a show. The sound is loud, the crowd is right on top of the stage and a good band can put on a truly memorable set. It's not easy these days to find someone playing there that’s worth going out for, but if there ever is again, don't pass it up.

I tend not to enjoy myself at rap shows. I've got nothing against Rap music and I'm no racist, but I just never seem to really get into it. There are some shows I've really dug. Wu-Tang a few months ago in New Haven was a total trip. Atmosphere always impresses me live (Yes, he's white and no, I'm still not racist.) Other than that, I've been disappointed by nearly every live hip-hop show I've been to. It's a bummer.

Rob Crow is back on the road earning his paycheck. After dabbling in the dark side with his Death-Metal band Goblin Cock and playing with his good intentioned, yet ultimately inaccessible side project The Ladies, Crow is back with what really gets the kids out to the clubs with Pinback. They succeed by playing emotionally gripping and brilliantly executed indie rock, for lack of a better term. I guess at their roots they're basically a talented emo band, though I expect few of their fans would dare describe them as such. We’ll stick to indie rock for now.

This is not a band that would appear to have any structure or premeditation. It had always felt natural and organic before...that’s just how they roll. So imagine my surprise when, after playing one song, a smoke machine filled the room, some sort of laser light projector shot up towards the ceiling and a monotone computer voice recited a pre-recorded monologue. My first guess was that they had a little too much fun in Chinatown that afternoon, but I later found out they've been using this stuff all tour. They continued through a set that was musically similar to what they had played earlier in the week. Many, but not all of the same songs they usually play live, the adorable and gracious thank yous and other Minnesota-isms that compile their charm. But despite the cliché, it’s NOT all about the music. To see a band live entitles you to a show, defined however the performers choose to give it. To see the band go above and beyond what was expected of them by creating a mood and atmosphere they saw fit to complement their music was truly extraordinary. I’m not sure why I was so surprised, considering everything these guys have ever done has far exceeded my expectations, but the mark of a great band it that they constantly raise the bar. Cloud Cult has never disappointed. Once the smoke cleared and the music stopped, it took a second to realize I was watching them in a club hardly bigger than my bedroom. Everything about this band has become monumentally huge. I have to believe it’s only a matter of time the crowds catch up.

So, if you weren't aware, Jack White got together a new band. A real, full, five-piece band. It's him, a fella you may know named Brendan Benson (who Gothamist interviewed not too long ago) and three of their friends from the band The Greenhornes. And they play this bluesy classic rock sounding stuff. A couple of covers, a lot of songs they wrote together. Standard mid-life crisis fare. You know how you or one of your friends' Dads was in a blues band when you were growing up? And they'd get a kick out of pulling the Volvo into the street and jamming out in the garage with their other middle aged friends? And while you knew it wasn't very good, it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been, but most importantly, it was just fun to see your Dad really having a good time? Well, that's kind of The Raconteurs in a nutshell. It was really nothing special in the end, but there was joy found from seeing the occasional malcontent Jack White up there jamming out with some friends and a big smile on his face.

I had no idea that Strokes fans were into crowd surfing! And MOSHING. And hardcore hallucinogens! What a fun time. Seriously. Compared to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs shows last weekend, it was quite the shot in the arm to see these guys play a room that was this amped to see them. I'll take the rowdy annoying crowd over the chatty annoying crowd any day of the week. I'm cool with having some tripped out psycho rubbing his face on the back of my track jacket while he’s shouting along to every single word. It's better than having to put up with running commentary from some bored smarty-pants against the wall.

Last weekend the Yeah Yeah Yeahs played their first shows in the New York area since opening for Devo at Summerstage in 2004. They have a new album on the horizon and scheduled a few small and quickly sold out club dates to showcase the new material. I was fortunate to snag tickets to see them at Maxwells in Hoboken on Thursday and the Bowery Ballroom on Friday.

A few times a week, Gothamist publishes music reviews by our contributor Jeff Baum. The opinions below belong entirely to the author.

A few times a week, Gothamist publishes music reviews by our contributor Jeff Baum. The opinions below belong entirely to the author.

A few times a week, Gothamist publishes music reviews by our contributor Jeff Baum. The opinions below belong entirely to the author.

A few times a week, Gothamist publishes music reviews by our contributor Jeff Baum. The opinions below belong entirely to the author.

A few times a week, Gothamist publishes music reviews by our contributor Jeff Baum. The opinions below belong entirely to the author.

A few times a week, Gothamist publishes music reviews by our contributor Jeff Baum. The opinions below belong entirely to the author.

It's that time of year again. The time of year we spend entirely too much money on going to a bar or party or club that any other night would cost nothing to enter. But we go, we pay and we fight the Bridge & Tunnel crowd for a spot at the bar. Why? We don't know. It's just part of NYE in NYC. This year we're fleeing the country, but for those of you staying on the island here's a list of parties to go to (that is, of course, if none of your friends will have you at theirs):

A few times a week, Gothamist publishes music reviews by our contributor Jeff Baum. The opinions below belong entirely to the author.