Bruce BROOOOOOCE Springsteen played Newark's Prudential Center last night to end the first leg of his 2012 world tour, and he went out on a particularly high note: at the start of the encore, Springsteen took a sign from a fan asking for something to be played in tribute to the recently deceased Levon Helm. He ended up playing a beautiful, never-before-played off-the-cuff rendition of "The Weight" accompanied by the E-Street Band. Watch it below: more ›

"You got a reaction didn't you?" Jack White sang in the White Stripes' acidic "Blue Orchid" half a decade ago. As ever, White got just that on Friday night as he played a 21-song set at Webster Hall as part of the American Express "Unstaged" series. While he was ostensibly supporting the release of his first solo album, the excellent Blunderbuss, the show was more like The Jack White Travelling Revue Extravaganza, with two bands (one all-female, one all-male) hitting songs from myriad projects throughout his entire career—including absolutely jaw-dropping performances of several White Stripes classics. Below, watch the entire show (as well as individual highlights) now (while it's still up)! For anyone who ever wondered what White Stripes songs would sound like with a "real" band, here's your answer. more ›

Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before: this morning, rumors ran wild after British website Music-News.com reported that legendary rock band The Smiths were in talks to reform for a major fall tour. Pitchfork (warily) picked it up, Twitter almost imploded, and millions of charming men and women found themselves on the brink of comas. But of course, The Smiths are not reuniting. As Morrissey once said, "I would rather eat my own testicles than re-form The Smiths, and that's saying something for a vegetarian." more ›

Levon Helm, the legendary drummer and singer of The Band, died today after a long battle with cancer. "We lost Levon at 1:30 today surrounded by friends and family and his musicians have visited him," said Larry Campbell, Helm's longtime guitarist and band leader. "As sad as this was, it was very peaceful." Helm, who died at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan, was 71. more ›

The Coachella Music Festival has been going on all weekend in California—and many of the performances from the likes of The Shins, Black Keys, and Bon Iver have been streamed on YouTube. The two biggest highlights of the weekend so far have been the reunited Pulp and the triumphant festival return of Radiohead. more ›

Bruce BROOOOCE Springsteen has been gallivanting his way across this hard land with his merry E-Street Band, performing killer show upon killer show. Today, Springsteen announced more dates for their world tour, including three nights at MetLife Stadium in NJ. Which means there are now three more chances for The Boss to hide on the backstreets, to chug fans beers, and to tuck Chris Christie in for bedtime. more ›

Maybe he was exhausted from the trip to Israel, maybe he was just tired of all the fat jokes, but NJ Gov. Chris Christie was caught catching some zzz's at Bruce BROOOCE Springsteen's concert at MSG on Monday: “The governor was very active during the show,” a tipster told the Post. “Bruce started talking about ‘supporting food banks in New York and New Jersey,’ and ‘how people have been hit hard,’ and Christie was riveted. Then Bruce performed ‘Rocky Ground,’ and Christie visibly started fading.” more ›

For a certain set of Britpop fans in New York this is a very big week. Why? Because, before heading to Coachella, no less than Pulp is playing at Radio City Music Hall, their first U.S. stage appearance since 1998! And to get you sorted for E's and Whizz, the whole gang performed on Jimmy Fallon last night. And then put a bonus song online! You want to live like common people? Click on. more ›

"When we get together/it's always hot magic"—indie rock-turned-confetti funk band of Montreal delivered on that promise from their song "Wicked Wisdom" over two sweaty nights at Webster Hall this weekend. Considering the fact of Montreal has brought a horse onto the stage during previous NYC performances, they had a lot to live up to. But with balloons, confetti, puppets, big-breasted boxers, psychedelic lights, mutton chops and white-suited stage divers, the pumped up young crowd was ecstatic. Even if you had no idea what was going on, it was fun as hell. And whenever the show reared too far toward high school drama club, the band reminded you they write timeless pop songs like "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse." more ›

2012 marks the 50th anniversary of The Rolling Stones—but it seems that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards won't be ringing in the semicentennial glaring at each other from separate backstage areas. According to interviews with both frontmen by Rolling Stone magazine, the Stones will likely not tour this year—mainly insiders say because of Richards' questionable health. But we may be in store for a multinight run in NYC. more ›

The "hardest working white man in showbusiness" lived up to his billing last night, as Bruce Springsteen BROOOOOOCE Springsteen and the E-Street Band performed an incredible and intimate 20-song set at the Apollo Theater in Harlem to kickoff their "Wrecking Ball" tour. One can't help but stand in awe of the exuberance the 62-year-old rocker from NJ exerted during the two-and-a-half hour set—between bunny hops, jumping on amps, and impassioned strumming, Springsteen also fit in most of his new album, classic '70s hits, a few deep tracks and some surprise soul covers. Conjuring up the spirit of a preacher, he gave his mission statement before diving into "My City Of Ruin:" “We’re here to put a whoopass session on the recession. We're here to bring a smile to your face, an extra beat to your heart, and to raise your spirit high in these hard times." more ›

To celebrate the third anniversary of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Fallon dedicated the last week of the show to frequent guest Bruce BROOOOOCE Springsteen. There were tributes to Springsteen, whose 2012 Wrecking Ball Tour gets kicked off with an appearance at the Apollo Theater next Friday, from Elvis Costello, John Legend and Kenny Chesney; Springsteen and the E-Street Band performed songs from his new album Monday and Tuesday; and last night, he was the only guest, performing more songs, talking about his various looks over the years, dancing like a hobbit, and singing LMFAO's "Sexy And I Know It" with Fallon as Neil Young. Below, watch highlights from the week. more ›

As rumored, Radiohead, Phish, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers will headline the 11th Bonnaroo music festival, which will take place from June 7th to 10th in Manchester, Tennessee. A reunited Beach Boys are also on the top of the bill, as is Bon Iver, Skrillex, and funnyman Aziz Ansari. Prince was rumored to have been slated to perform, but the Purple One is conspicuously missing from the lineup. More than 150 bands and nearly two dozen comedians will perform over the course of four days. more ›

Ever since Clarence Clemons died last summer, E-Street band aficionados have wondered who The Boss might recruit to fill his big shoes for future E-Street band tours. Now that they have just such a massive world tour lined-up for this spring, Springsteen has made his decision: Clemons' nephew Jake Clemons will "share the saxophone role" with longtime collaborator Eddie Manion. more ›

Yesterday, thousands of Bruce BROOOOOOCE Springsteen fans were blinded by the cold cruel light when they logged onto Ticketmaster to purchase tickets to one of The Boss' five NY/NJ area shows. Instead, they were met point blank with a "Your wait time is 15 minutes" message, left feeling like they were on the outside looking in. It turns out all those fans were kept from getting tickets because of scalpers—and as Springsteen himself once said, "Well, sir, I guess there's just a meanness in this world." more ›

Following a series of adoring festival appearances around Europe and Australia last year, the best Britpop band not named Blur will make their first U.S. appearance since 1998 at Radio City Music Hall this spring! Pulp, who broke up in 2002 and reunited in 2011, will play Radio City on April 11th, along with a handful of other U.S. dates. And between Occupy Wall Street and stories of fat cat frat parties, what better time to break out into a sweaty singalong of the classic "Common People." more ›

It's been a busy week for Bruce BROOOOOOCE Springsteen: he announced the March release of his 17th studio album, Wrecking Ball, along with the first single from that album, "We Take Care Of Our Own," and a 2012 world tour. While we know he'll be playing Europe come May, he hasn't released details of his US dates yet—but according to the Star-Ledger, Springsteen will be playing the Prudential Center some time in late April or early May, his first show ever in beautiful scenic Newark. more ›

With his political career in a permanent holding pattern, Bruce Brooooooce Springsteen is getting back to what he does best. On March 6th, he'll release his 17th studio album, Wrecking Ball, which is said to be his angriest yet. Below, listen to the first single, "We Take Care Of Our Own." more ›

It's been about nine months since LCD Soundsystem threw a week-long party in NYC and bid goodnight to all the real life emotional teenagers with a confetti-laden farewell show at MSG. While James Murphy has vowed not to resurrect the band name again, they will live once more in the form of a new documentary, Shut Up And Play The Hits. Check out the trailer below! more ›

Finally, a place for the little Kyps and Karens of Williamsburg to play without sacrificing style for recreation. Behold "Frolic!" a 1,500 sq ft member's-only play space and "enrichment center" located on the waterfront in The Edge, one of those massive luxury condos that opened a few years back. Billed as the borough’s first “rock n’ roll play space," Frolic! appears to be a melange of hippie and hipster aesthetics, at a price point only a yuppie can afford. Membership comes at three different levels, starting at $828 a year for the basic "Guest List" membership, and moving on up to "I'm With the Band" for $1,320. Not cheap, but do you really want Iggy Jr. mingling with the poindexters at that South First Street playground? more ›

[UPDATE BELOW] It seems like nothing has been going right for the formerly Hasidic Jewish reggae performer Matisyahu ever since he shaved his locks. Matisyahu showed off his new look at the 6th annual Festival of Light Hanukkah Tour this week at Music Hall of Williamsburg. But according to Paper Magazine photographer Rebecca Smeyne, it wasn't all huge disco dreidels and giant menorahs: she claims Matisyahu kicked her in the face and broke her camera's expensive flash during Wednesday night's sold out show. more ›

NYC is certainly not lacking in Rock and Roll walking tours—it's easy for fans to visit Strawberry Fields or Electric Ladyland, to see where Sid Vicious overdosed or where the cover of Physical Graffiti was shot. But what about all those other mythical locations? How can one get to Desolation Row or Shady Lane? Thanks to a cool new music street map, you'll have no problem finding Positively 4th Street via 10th Avenue Freeze-Out. more ›

Wouldn't it be nice if we were older? Then we wouldn't have to wait so long for a Beach Boys reunion featuring fractured genius Brian Wilson and the few living members (but alas, no John Stamos)? Well we are older now, and we don't have to wait much longer: to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the band's first single, Brian Wilson and those living original members have bandied together for a 50-show tour and reunion album next year. Check out a clip of them re-recording "Do It Again" below. more ›

Lindsey Buckingham is best known as the singer/guitarist of Fleetwood Mac, steering the band through the highs of the era-defining soft pop of "Rumours" and its more experimental, weirder sister album "Tusk" in the late '70s. Buckingham has also had a varied solo career, providing the theme "Holiday Road" to "National Lampoon's Vacation," and recording this year's "Seeds We Sow" entirely on his own. This Friday, Buckingham will speak at the 92nd Street Y about his long career—we spoke to him about his friendship with Brian Wilson, the legacy of Tusk, tinkering in the studio, his kids perception of him, and Fleetwood Mac's plans for next year. more ›