Hoboken's Bar/None Records Pays Tribute to Maxwell's in its Final Week

If longtime fans of Maxwell's hadn't started feeling the impact of its impending closing yet, they certainly were after Tuesday night's gig, an all-star show by artists from Hoboken's own Bar/None Records.

Speed the Plough on stage at Maxwell's.

The label, which has been around since the mid-'80s, has put out recordings by a whole cast of musicians from Hoboken or associated with the town, and the club: The Feelies, the dB's, The Individuals, Freedy Johnston, Alex Chilton, Juliana Hatfield, Health and Happiness Show, They Might Be Giants, Speed the Plough, Kate Jacobs, and Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey, among many others. (See links to more articles about Maxwell's and its closing at the end of this post.)

The first band to take the stage was Speed the Plough, a band that grew out of the Trypes, which in turn was a spin-off of The Feelies. They played a solid set of a half-dozen or so songs, and were succeeded by acts that played anywhere from one song (Kate Jacobs) to 20 minutes or so (James Mastro's Health & Happiness Show).

Health & Happiness Show, with Glenn Mercer (left) adding vocals.

Guitarist and songwriter Chris Stamey, a member of Maxwell's staple the dB's, played a satisfying set backed by Gene Holder on bass and Anton Fier on drums. Freedy Johnston, who also has played Maxwell's many times, played one song early in the show, but fortunately appeared later to play his own set, finishing with his classic "The Lucky One."

Chris Stamey, with Anton Fier on drums.

With this gig occupying the middle spot between two other shows at Maxwell's (... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead on Tuesday, and The Muffs on Thursday, we left the show at 12:30 a.m., after Johnston's set. We heard that the show didn't wrap up till nearly 2 a.m. Like early days of the Hoboken music scene, the show was sprawling, chaotic, and full of great music.

Freedy Johnston.

More about Maxwell's from around the Web:
"Val Emmich, one of Maxwell's' most successful post-millennial alumni, returns for one more show," NJ.com
"Farewell Maxwell's: Remembering the Legendary New Jersey Venue," talk with co-owner Todd Abramson, Fuse.tv

"Remembering Maxwell's, New Jersey's Legendary Rock Club," videos, The New Yorker

"The Hoboken Sound: An Oral History of Maxwell's," New York Magazine

"Reliving Maxwell's glory days," Abramson notes the most memorable shows, New York Post

"Hoboken Moms Replace Maxwell’s Rock Fans in Housing Boom," Bloomberg

Maxwell's Adds More Shows: Mission of Burma, Freedy Johnson & Others, Terre T. Live Broadcast, & More

Mission of Burma, "Nu Disco," at one of Yo La Tengo's Hanukkah shows at Maxwell's in 2010. See the latest shows added to the Maxwell's schedule below.

Maxwell's in Hoboken continues to go out with a bang, adding more shows as it heads into its last week and a half in existence. (Get tickets to the shows here.) Just added to the lineup:

• Wed., July 24th: Freedy Johnston, the Health & Happiness Show (led by former Bongo James Mastro), Anton Fier, and others (8 p.m.)
• Sat., July 27th: WFMU's Cherry Blossom Clinic hosted by Terre T.—live remote broadcast starring Hackamore Brick (3 p.m.)
• Sun., July 28th: Mission of Burma (9 p.m.)
• Mon., July 29th: Bern and The Brights, Secret Islands, and Val Emmich (8:30 p.m.)
• Wed., July 31st: Closing Night Block Party (DJ music) (4 p.m.)

The Wednesday show is billed on the website as "Bar None Records Presents A Night Of Folks and Fondue feat. Freedy Johnston, The Health and Happiness Show and Chris Stamey with Gene Holder and Anton Fier plus a host of special guests." That should be a great one, and it's only $15.

 The Maxwell's website shows a dwindling number of remaining concerts... and a photo of a sad puppy underneath "Upcoming Shows."

No show has been announced for the night of the 31st, though NJ.com says that the final show will feature the first band to play the club, called "a," as well as the classic bands that grew out of "a": The Bongos and The Individuals.

Maxwell's has been hosting a number of sold-out shows in the last few weeks as it counts down to the end. We were fortunate to attend several of these concerts, all great stuff, featuring acts of wildly varying styles: garage-rock masters The Fleshtones, Mott the Hoople frontman Ian Hunter, singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata, and Glen Rock punk rockers Titus Andronicus (on the first gig of their three-night run). Podcast Party be at at least five more shows at the club at 1039 Washington St.

Maxwell's to Rise Again in Jersey City?

Amid the sad news of Maxwell's closing, there is hope that it may live on (in some sense) in a nearby location. Various sources have reported that co-owner Todd Abramson is actively looking to open a club elsewhere in New Jersey, with Jersey City (next to Hoboken) as the most likely location. Particular attention has focused on the under-renovation White Eagle Hall, which is about a half mile from the Grove Street PATH station.

We hope that plan works out. Stay tuned for details.

Photos: The dB's, Freedy Johnston, & The Front Bottoms at Hoboken Music Fest

Sunday was a perfect day for live music in Hoboken, with great weather and great performances by a number of acts, old and new, that are (or were) from New Jersey and, in some cases, from Hoboken itself.

The reunion of The dB's ahead of the release of their first album in 25 years was a big draw, and the band delivered with tunes old and new. The songs from their forthcoming album, "Falling Off the Sky" (out June 12th) sounded great, and felt like worthy additions to The dB's catalog. The original lineup of Chris Stamey, Peter Holsapple, Gene Holder, and Will Rigby was rounded out by young singer-songwriter Brett Harris on keyboards and guitar.

Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple of The dB's.

While The dB's were the big draw for older music fans, the young New Jersey band The Front Bottoms had their own cheering section, and it was enthusiastic. (A mosh pit threatened to break out, the first time I've ever seen that at this festival.) No doubt they'll draw comparisons to another Bergen County indie/pop/punk outfit, Titus Andronicus. Like Patrick Stickles of Titus, Front Bottoms singer Brian Sella throws out rapid-fire streams of smart, funny, and sometimes oddball lyrics (such as "I will remember that summer / as the summer I was taking steroids / because you like a man with muscles / and I like you.”)

The Front Bottoms are a lot of fun to see live, and I'll probably try to catch their show again. I want to check out their self-titled album as well (on Bar-None Records).

I've never been disappointed by a Freedy Johnston show, and yesterday's was no exception. The Kansas native and former Hoboken resident played songs from throughout his career, which has been long and productive (it's hard to believe that his breakthrough album, "Can You Fly," came out way back in 1992). Backed by a band that included his frequent collaborator on guitar, the excellent Dave Schramm, Johnston played a set that included favorites such as "The Lucky One," "Until the Sun Comes Back Again," "This Perfect World," "Bad Reputation," and of course his cover of Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman."

Some photos below (more to be added later)...

Chris Stamey.

Holsapple, Stamey, and bassist Gene Holder.

Gene Holder.

Holsapple and dB's backing musician Brett Harris.

The Front Bottoms.

Brian Sella of The Front Bottoms.

Mathew Uychich of The Front Bottoms (drums); bass player not identified.

Freedy Johnston and band (Dave Schramm, Johnston, and Jared Nickerson. Not pictured: Steve Goulding, drum). The under-construction 1 World Trade Center can be seen rising in the background.

Dave Schramm (left) and Freedy Johnston.

The dB's, Freedy Johnston to Play Hoboken Spring Music Fest Sunday

The dB's and Freedy Johnston, two veteran music acts that have strong connections to the Mile Square City, will be the leading artists at the spring edition of the Hoboken Arts & Music Festival on Sunday, May 6th.


Above:: The dB's performing "Big Brown Eyes" from their debut album, "Stands for Decibels."

The dB's, which formed in the late 1970s, became a favorite in the New York area and beyond with their short, fast, jangly, pop-rock sound, and were one of the first bands to play at Maxwell's in Hoboken. The group that plays at the festival on Sunday will be its original four-man lineup: Peter Holsapple, Chris Stamey, Gene Holder, and Will Rigby. Three of them lived in Hoboken at one time or another, and one still does, according to the band's website.

The dB's broke up in 1988 and at least part of the band has reunited a few times since then. The band will be headlining the Hoboken Arts & Music Festival at 4:45 p.m. on Sunday and have several other gigs planned, including NYC's Le Poisson Rouge on June 15th.

In March the dB's announced that their new album, entitled "Falling Off the Sky,"would be released on June 12th. The album, their first studio release in 25 years or so, will be on Hoboken's Bar/None record label.

New Jersey punk/indie-pop duo The Front Bottoms plays before the dB's at 3:15. They've gotten acclaim from everyone from the L.A. Times to AbsolutePunk, with their debut self-titled album named to a number of best-of-2011 lists. You can hear two songs from the album at Bandcamp.


Above: Freedy Johnston's video for "Bad Reputation," from the album "Can You Fly."

Singer-songwriter Freedy Johnston, a former Hoboken resident, can still be seen performing in the Mile Square City from time to time, and Sunday won't be his first appearance at this festival. He's put out more than 10 albums full of well-crafted folk-pop tunes, including "Can You Fly," "This Perfect World," and "Right Between the Promises," and is perhaps best known for his chart hit "Bad Reputation" (video above).

Freedy Johnston takes the stage at 2 p.m.

Also playing on Sunday: the Jersey City rock band Wyldlife, local favorites the Demolition String Band, the rock trio Stephie Coplan & the Pedestrians, and standards-singing Emily Turonis (who impressed me with her performance at this festival in 2010).

The Hoboken Arts & Music Festival takes place on three stages on Washington Street (I've left off the schedule for the children's stage). Here are the schedules for the two main stages:

Observer Highway Stage (on Washington St. bet. Newark & Observer Highwy)
11:45 a.m. – Wyldlife
12:30 p.m. – The One & Nines
1:15 – Demolition String Band
2:00 – Freedy Johnston
3:15 – The Front Bottoms
4:45 – The dB's

Sixth Street Stage
12:30 p.m. – Bandwidth
1:10 – Hannah & The M&Ms
1:30 – Outside the Box
2:25 – Stephie Coplan & the Pedestrians
3:15 – Funkaphonic with Rob Harari
4:00 – Emily Turonis
4:40 – Alexandria Potosnak
5:00 – Orchestra C2

Concert News: Jeff Mangum, Matthew Sweet, Throwing Muses, & More

Jeff Mangum singing at the Occupy Wall Street protest last week.Watch live streaming video from globalrevolution at livestream.com

There are a lot of great live shows coming up in the NYC area this fall, and you'll want to act soon to get tickets for some of them. (I'll add more shows as I find out about them and ticket info becomes available.)

Matthew Sweet is playing multiple shows at City Winery, and all are sold out except for an 11 p.m. show on Nov. 2nd. Tickets start at $35. Sweet is touring to promote his new release "Modern Art" and to mark the 20th anniversary of his classic album "Girlfriend."

Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel is playing a second show at the Landmark Loew's Theatre in Jersey City on Nov. 5th. His show there on Nov. 6th has been sold out for months, but if you missed out on that gig you've now got a second chance. You can get Nov. 5th Jeff Mangum tickets here; they went on sale Oct. 7th. Tickets are $35. (Read about Mangum playing at the Occupy Wall Street protest last week.)

The Jeff Mangum shows seem to have been booked by or in conjunction with Maxwell's, since the gigs appear on the club's website, and there are plenty of good gigs in the near future at the famed Hoboken nightspot. Wild Flag on Sunday is sold out, but here are some of the Maxwell's gigs for which tickets are still available. All tickets available through the Maxwell's website.

• Thurs., Oct. 13th (tonight):  Jon Spencer Blues Explosion/The Baxx SiSi'
  
• Fri., Oct. 21st:  Freedy Johnston/The Health & Happiness Show
  
• Sat., Oct. 22nd:  Pat McGee/special guest
  
• Mon., Oct. 24th: The Dum Dum Girls/Crocodiles/Royal Baths
  
• Sat., Oct. 29th: Dead Meadow/Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs

Above: Throwing Muses playing "Bea" in Barcelona, 2009. 

Indie rock pioneers Throwing Muses are playing Bowery Ballroom this Sunday, Oct. 16th, and amazingly, tickets are still available here. Kristin Hersh and band are legends who have been making music on their own terms for more than 20 years, and they don't tour often. So go see them now. (See all Throwing Muses tour dates here.)

The hMag Music Festival in Hoboken also takes place on Sunday, from 12 Noon to 10 p.m. in Pier A Park. The Walkmen and School of Seven Bells are the top draws, with Wormburner, the Kickdrums, and other bands on the bill. Get free hMag Festival tickets here.

Acclaimed Irish singer Lisa Hannigan is at Hiro Ballroom on Saturday, Oct. 21st. Gavin Glass is also on the bill. 

The Jayhawks and Rosanne Cash play the Beacon Theatre next Saturday, Oct. 21st, and some tickets are still available here.

Gillian Welch plays the Beacon the next night, Oct. 22nd; you can find tickets here (if there are any still available).

If you're looking for a concert by big-name rock star (but taking place in a non-arena venue), Sting is playing Roseland for two shows in what he's calling his "Back to Bass" tour. The shows take place Tuesday and Wednesday Nov. 8th and 9th; tickets go on sale tomorrow, Oct. 14th.

In NJ This Weekend: Weezer, Ke$ha, and More at The Bamboozle; Fountains of Wayne in Hoboken

There's some great live music in North Jersey this weekend, and some of it's even free. First off is the not-free event, the annual NJ edition of The Bamboozle festival in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford.

The Bamboozle takes place Saturday and Sunday, May 1st and 2nd, and they've got a great lineup of acts on both days. The May 1st show features Paramore, Drake, Something Corporate, Ke$ha, Angels & Airwaves, The Maine, and more. The May 2nd lineup has Weezer, MGMT, Ke$ha, OK Go, Matt & Kim, and Girl Talk, among many others. You can buy NJ Bamboozle tickets here.

You can get a FREE Spin 2010 Bamboozle mixtape download, with 13 songs by Bamboozle artists including Saves the Day, Say Anything, and Wale.

Set times and a map for The Bamboozle in NJ are posted here. 

A few miles away, the May edition of the Hoboken Arts & Music Festival takes place on Sunday with a strong headliner in Fountains of Wayne (which features at least two NJ natives, as far as I know). Also on the bill is a favorite singer-songwriter of mine, Freedy Johnston, who is originally from Kansas but lived in Hoboken for a time and has played at Maxwell's in town many times.

Freedy Johnston goes on at 3 p.m.; the Fountains of Wayne set is scheduled for 4:30. There are local acts performing as well. (Schedules and links to artists for the Hoboken Arts & Music Festival.)