TREE LIGHTING: Earlier this year, New Yorkers Fountains of Wayne transformed Demetri Martin into a lonely suit living in Brooklyn in this video. Tonight the band will be rockin' around the Stuy Town Christmas tree. A reader writes in:I just happened to see this flyer hanging up for the annual christmas tree lighting. And what the hell is this...7:30-8:00pm, FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE. Seems like it's top secret, but there are flyers everywhere.Random! But if you're......

Courtney Love Performs at Hiro, Doesn't Cause a Scene After GBH announced that Courtney Love was to play a free show at Hiro Ballroom, the biggest question besides what she'd sound like or how badly would Hiro screw up the crowd control, was what type of raucous scandal would Love cause during the set. Would she be trashed? Would she get into a fight? Would she show at all? Well, to the pleasant surprise of......

Porn on the 4th of July The theme to this summer's outdoor concert season seem to be coming up with new ways to deal with rain. While Manu Chao embraced it and Cheeseburger/Oxford Collapse had to cancel because of it, the New Pornographers just kind of went on despite it. First, indie one-hit wonder Midlake opened with a perfectly serviceable set. After came out the newly bearded A.C. Newman and the gang to play a......

If you aren't at a BBQ, aren't watching the fireworks or a big budget summer movie...below are some options for you. Whatever you do, though, bring sparklers! MUSIC: The New Pornographers and Midlake are playing a free show at Battery Park. If you didn't get a free pass, then go hang out on the outskirts, enjoy the day, and listen to the music - we're sure it'll be loud enough. 3:30pm // Battery Park //......

Tis the season for hibernating and canceling plans 'cause it's too cold to go out. Here's what could, possibly, maybe get us out from under the covers this week: Things admittedly start off kinda slow. We might recommend Koufax at the Knitting Factory, but we're not really into their piano- and synth-driven pop so much. Our ex-roommate swears by them, however. Tuesday boasts an interesting non-show at Mo Pitkin's: Author Simon Reynolds hosts a panel......

Antony and the Johnsons will play their first NYC show since winning the UK's Mercury Music Prize last month. The past year has seen Antony rise from a relatively unknown eccentric NYC club performer to an international superstar. His headlining show at Carnegie Hall on Thursday, and his upcoming appearance on Letterman, are two signs of his well deserved success. Those attending the Carnegie show will also be treated to a rare opening set......

Day 2 was significantly busier than Day 1. All in all, we made it to 12 different shows between 10:00am and 2am, we'll highlight the highlights here. Bright and early yesterday morning we shot uptown to The Museum of Television and Radio for a KEXP in-studio performance by The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers. Due to some wretched midtown traffic, we didn’t get there until they were halfway through the set, but we......

Hip-Hop dominates this week with at least three recommended shows. Some of the best acts in indie hip-hop play Irving Plaza tonight (Monday). It’s one of the only stops on the Stone Throw Records Tour featuring Madlib, M.E.D, Peanut Butter Wolf, and J-Rocc. On Tuesday Madlib and M.E.D. will also perform for free at Fat Beats. [Listen to some music Madlib put out on Blue Note.] Last year Madlib joined MF DOOM to release......

CRAFTY CONSUMERISM: The Renegade Craft Fair is a DIY extravaganza which has only since taken place in Chicago. This weekend it sets up shop in Brooklyn with 150 vendors who will showcase and sell their one-of-a-kind handmade wares, including reconstructed clothing, comics, zines, jewelry, silkscreened gigposters, iPod cozies and more. On June 25th and 26th in McCarren Park (Bedford Ave. & N. 12th St.) from 10:30am-5pm. MUSIC: If you missed Ghostland Observatory this week, we're......

Call it shameless self promotion if you want, but the place to be tonight (Monday) is Knitting Factory for Gothamist's own Movable Hype 3.0 show featuring some of the hottest bands from NYC and Austin. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah just self-released their debut self-titled album and its quickly become one of our favorite listens of the year (read the Gothamist interview). Fans of Talking Heads and the Arcade Fire should take note (MP3s......

Coolfer hasn't attended a music festival since the 1995 edition of Lollapalooza, but this Saturday's Little Steven's International Underground Garage Festival is promising enough to prompt a ticket buy. Most bands won't play more than a few songs, but the line-up is amazing and mixes the old and new very well: The Stooges, the New York Dolls, the Strokes, Chocolate Watchband, the Pretty Things, Big Star (Alex Chilton is pictured to the right), the Raveonettes,......

[Ed: Like clockwork, music picks from prodigious music blogger Coolfer. Also check out more at Gothamist Events.] Tonight, Los Lobos plays the opening night of Celebrate Brooklyn at the Prospect Park bandshell. It's basically free--a $3 suggested donation would be much appreciated. Ladysmith Black Mambazo performs at the bandshell on Saturday evening, and again it's only a $3 suggested donation to enter. (But we all know Gothamist readers will give much, much more...right?) After the......

Aaron at 601am inspired us with his suggestions for an indoor Memorial Day weekend for guests. Since lousy weather makes getting past the front door even harder, we have included many things that are great stay-at-home activities: - Go see a movie (Sweet Sixteen, A Woman Is A Woman, Matrix: Reloaded again to better defend position) - Watch Sex and the City and the Jack Ryan Collection on DVD - Clean out the closet -......