Whether you swoon over their hyper-literate songwriting or find John Darnielle's reedy, earnest voice to be an acquired taste, The Mountain Goats undeniably had everyone in The Bowery Ballroom last night under their spell. Catcalls and song requests peppered an enthusiastic set, as the barefoot Darnielle noted several times that he was having "a lot of fun," and even invited his "dear friend," Craig Finn, lead singer of The Hold Steady, to join him on "This Year." more ›

REMINDER: Tickets are still on sale for this Saturday's music tribute to Arthur Russell at The Kitchen. You can purchase them here. more ›

John Darnielle may be best known for his band The Mountain Goats, but he's also the latest blogger with a book; this weekend he's in town as both a musician and an author. more ›

As we've mentioned before, once upon a time John Darnielle promised fans at a Knitting Factory show that, even if he was playing Madison Square Garden someday, he would make the time to play a show at the Knit, his favorite club in the city. He may not be quite that big, but it's clear he's moved on from those once noble statements, considering his impressive and always expanding popularity. He headlined Music Hall of Williamsburg and Webster Hall (!) this week to his rabid fan base, and managed to make these larger shows intimate and as personal as he always has in the past. The shows were full of storytelling and tangential banter, interacting with the fans as though he was playing a backyard party. To complement his sound in these clubs, however, he did decide to bring along a drummer to help fill out his stage show. While some surely miss the days of his cassette recordings and minimalist sets, the songs are all still there, and they sound as good as ever. (pic via Bryan Bruchman's flickr) more ›

EVENT: This is pretty...interesting. The Sprinkle Brigade "unveils the future of Urban Beautification. Their upcoming show entitled, 'EQUIPPED' at the Riveria Gallery, focuses on the cutting edge in dog poo decoration." The brigade say the "art form" came about after spending "several years of experience wandering the streets of New York, decorating what most people consider to be the enemy." The opening is tonight and the show runs through the 23rd. Leave the pooper scooper... more ›

Exhibit: November 18 - December 18th, 2005 // Gallery hours are Saturday and Sunday, 12 - 6 pm (closed for Thanksgiving Weekend) more ›

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

This weekend seems to be all about the music. Outside, in parks, on rooftops. It'll be everywhere, and here is where we would be if we were you... more ›