Did you ever notice how much Tom Waits sounds like Cookie Monster? (Or vice versa, since Waits was playing in an R&B/soul band called The Systems by 1965, and Cookie Monster wasn't introduced to the world until 1969.) Well, someone did, and here's their mash-up of the two, with Mr. Monster singing Waits's "God's Away on Business." more ›

Okay people, time for your morning update on The Ledge – come on, you know you want it. Even Daniel Day Lewis says there’s nothing else to talk about. (Scroll down.) more ›

Only a few more days until the end of the year (and the cut off for the 2006 Oscar season), so of course the movie theaters are glutted with choice new releases. more ›

In Nordic mythology, Valhalla was a great hall where the most heroic warriors slain in battle would stay with Odin, their most powerful God. These warriors- heroic but dead, or maybe undead- were preparing to assist him in a final battle between Gods and the giants, arming themselves, eating boar and drinking mead. The hall was supposed to have been made of hundreds of doors, spears covering every wall and a roof thatched in shields- cozy. more ›

There are some important shows this week. It's your last chance ever to see Q and not U (@ Knitting Factory). Brian Jonestown Massacre (whose gear was stolen the other day) are at the very small Pianos. Steve Winwood is at the very small Bowery Ballroom. Yesterday Bon Jovi rocked the very small Nokia Theater. These shows all matter, but they're not the focus of this week's post . Instead, let's concentrate this week on Hurricane Katrina survivor benefits. more ›

Wyld Stallions of the future, the band that brings us all together, but, alas, life is not Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, and Wilco are still a (relatively) unknown band. more ›

For a while now Music For America has been providing us with endless amounts of entertainment, events and information. more ›

If you're a fan of artists like Norah Jones, Lucinda Williams or Tom Waits, Gothamist highly recommends New Jerseyan-turned South Sloper Dayna Kurtz, playing tonight at Joe's Pub. more ›

This weekend, I plan to buy The Best of Paolo Conte CD. Why? Because he's got this fantastic craggy (like "Tom Waits" as the Amazon review says) voice that sounds wonderful over the jazzy sort of bossa nova rhythms...bosso pop-like. His song, "Via Con Me," was featured prominently in the film, Mostly Martha, and when the song was played yesterday, I immediately went to Google to find out who sang it. more ›