Concert Notes: Matisyahu, Purity Ring, Fun., & More On Sale Friday

Tickets go on sale tomorrow for concerts reaching all the way into next April, including indie acts such as Matisyahu, !!!, and Purity Ring as well as mega-sellers fun. and Muse. Most of them go on sale at 12 Noon, but check below for specific times. (Purity Ring went on sale yesterday.)

Matisyahu's Festival of Light tour makes two stops in the NY area.

* Hollerado at Mercury Lounge, Wed., Nov. 7th (late show). On sale: Oct. 12th, 12 Noon

* Rosie Flores and Marti Brom at Mercury Lounge, Wed., Nov. 14th. On sale: Oct. 12th, 12 Noon

* !!! and Sinkane at Music Hall of Williamsburg, Thurs., Dec. 13th. On sale: Oct. 12th, 12 Noon

* Matisyahu: Festival of Light at Terminal 5, Sat., Dec. 15th and Capitol Theatre in Port Chester (acoustic), Sun., Dec. 16th. Both on sale: Oct. 12th, 12 Noon

* Purity Ring and Young Magic at Webster Hall, Fri., Jan, 11th. On sale now.

* Keane with special guest Youngblood Hawke at Radio City Music Hall, Thurs., Jan. 31st. On sale: Oct. 12th, 11 a.m.

* fun. at Radio City Music Hall, Sat., Feb. 2nd. On sale: Oct. 12th, 12 Noon

* Bear in Heaven with Small Black and ERAAS at Music Hall of Williamsburg, Wed., Dec. 5th. On sale: Oct. 12th, 12 Noon

* Muse at Madison Square Garden, Mon., April 15th and IZOD Center, Fri., April 19th. On sale: Oct. 12th, 9 a.m. [UPDATE: Second Muse show at MSG added April 16th; tickets on sale now here.]

Now Streaming: New CDs from Mountain Goats, Jason Collett, Muse, & More

From indie rock to Americana to jazz, there's a wide array of new albums streaming this week. There are new albums from Mountain Goats, Muse, and Beth Orton, among others. And in the continuing trend of bands from the 1980s popping up with new albums, there's a new album streaming from southern rockers The Outlaws (remember "Green Grass and High Tides," ""There Goes Another Love Song," etc.?).


"Lord Knows" by Dum Dum Girls, from their new EP "End of Daze."

Former Broken Social Scene member Jason Collett has not one but two albums streaming this week, a new album ("Reckon") and an eleven-song, career-spanning retrospective ("Essential Cuts"). Speaking of collections, Suzanne Vega is releasing her latest albums consisting of re-recordings of her previous tunes, grouped around a particular theme. "Close-Up Vol. 4: Songs of Family" includes songs including  "Widow's Walk," "Blood Sings," "Bad Wisdom," "Honeymoon Suite," and "Tired of Sleeping."

 We don't normally cover jazz here, we're making an exception for a couple of notable releases that are streaming: "St. Peter and 57th" by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band (marking the group's 50th anniversary) and "Made Possible" by The Bad Plus.

There's also a new album by Emmanuel Jal, the former child soldier from Sudan who burst onto the scene a few years back with "War Child," and a second chance to hear Sera Cahoone's excellent new  "Deer Creek Canyon" and the Dum Dum Girls' EP "End of Daze." (You've got a few chances to see Dum Dum Girls in the near future: they're playing Europa in Brooklyn on Sept. 30th, appearing at Other Music on Oct. 1st [free], and opening for The Walkmen at Terminal 5 on Oct. 18th.)

And in honor of Feist's "Metals" winning the Polaris Music Prize last night for best Canadian album of the year, the CBC is streaming it now (not sure for how long, though)... see the bottom of this article.

There are many more streaming albums below (and at the linked websites); have a listen and enjoy.

Rolling Stone: 
"Transcendental Youth" by Mountain Goats (who are playing in NYC soon: Oct. 14th at Music Hall of Williamsburg and the next night at Bowery Ballroom)

The Guardian/iTunes:
"The Second Law" by Muse (streaming at The Guardian in the U.K.; at iTunes in the U.S.)

NPR First Listen:
"Sugaring Season" by Beth Orton
"Until the Quiet Comes" by Flying Lotus

KCRW Album Preview: 
"12 Bit Blues" by Kid Koala

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"End of Daze" by Dum Dum Girls
"Made Possible" by The Bad Plus
"Reckon" and "Essential Cuts" by Jason Collett
"The Poet's Dead" by Rah Rah
"Bodyparts" by Dragonette
"Close-Up Vol. 4: Songs of Family" by Suzanne Vega
"Look A Little Closer" by Levek
"Deer Creek Canyon" by Sera Cahoone
"Reptile Youth" by Reptile Youth
"A Beating Heart Is A Bleeding Heart" by Kingsfoil

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"St. Peter and 57th" by Preservation Hall Jazz Band
"Half-Made Man" by Ben Sollee
"It's About Pride" by The Outlaws
"See Me Mama" by Emmanuel Jal

CBC:
"Metals" by Feist

Music Notes: Download New Corin Tucker Song, Muse Goes for Gold, Free Williamsburg Concerts, & More

Here's a roundup of news from around the music world: new songs, free concerts, & various other things.

* Corin Tucker of Sleater-Kinney has a new song out, "Groundhog Day," and you can download it here, (via Consequence of Sound and Pitchfork). It's the lead-off track from the group's forthcoming second album, "Kill My Blues" (cover below) which will come out on Sept. 18th on Kill Rock Stars.

Album cover of the second full-length from the Corin Tucker Band.

* Muse has also released a new song, "Survival," which has been tapped as the official song of the 2012 London Olympics (listen below). You're going to be hearing it everywhere; get used to it now.



* The schedule for free concerts at the Williamsburg waterfront have been released, and there are three solid shows:
July 19th: Pretty Good Friends with Eugene Mirman and special musical guest OK Go
August 18th: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings with Antibalas
Sept. 7th: Bob Mould (performing Sugar's "Copper Blue" as well as songs from his new album, "Silver Age," as well as tunes from Husker Du, Sugar, and his solo career).

The shows take place at Williamsburg Park at N. 12th St. and Kent Ave. See Free Williamsburg for more information on free and ticketed concerts and links to buying tickets.

* Mumford & Sons announced summer tour dates, and they're coming to Hoboken on August 1st. They'll be playing at Pier A park, and tickets are $55 (but have no additional fees). For that price, I'll wait to see if there's a good opening act on the bill. Tickets go on sale here on Friday the 29th (presale is the 28th).

See here for tickets for all other summer Mumford shows.

2011 Grammys: Beyond Gaga's Egg & Cee Lo's Chicken Suit - the Awards You Didn't See on TV

 

Muse (shown here at Newark's Prudential Center last October) won the Best Rock Album Grammy for "Resistance."

Here at Podcast Party, we're more interested in the pre-telecast awards given out at the Grammys than the glitzy, televised show (which only hands out about a dozen awards in three-and-a-half hours). Fortunately, the magic of the Internet means that you can now watch the nearly one-hundred pre-telecast awards being handed out in the live webcast (which may be archived for later viewing).

I didn't manage to see the entire pre-telecast Grammy show, but here are what I found to be some of the more notable awards that would be of interest to the readers of this blog (see the complete list of 2011 Grammy winners and nominees for more details):

* Best Pop Instrumental Performance - "Nessun Dorma" by Jeff Beck (beating out Laurie Anderson, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Stanley Clarke, and Gorillaz)

* Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance - "Helter Skelter" (live) by Paul McCartney (winning over songs by Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Robert Plant, and Neil Young)

* Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals - "Tighten Up" by The Black Keys (winning over Arcade Fire, Jeff Beck and Joss Stone, Kings Of Leon, and Muse

* Best Rock Instrumental Performance - "Hammerhead" by Jeff Beck (other nominees: The Black Keys, Los Lobos, Dweezil Zappa, and Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds

* Best Rock Song - "Angry World" by Neil Young (winning over songs by Mumford and Sons, Kings of Leon, Muse, and The Black Keys)

* (televised) Best Rock Album - "Resistance" by Muse (over albums by Jeff Beck, Pearl Jam, Neil Young, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

* Best Alternative Music Album - "Brothers" by The Black Keys (other nominees: Arcade Fire, Band of Horses, Broken Bells, and Vampire Weekend)

* Best Americana Album - "You Are Not Alone" by Mavis Staples (over albums by Rosanne Cash, Los Lobos, Willie Nelson, and Robert Plant)

* Best Contemporary Folk Album - "God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise" by Ray LaMontagne and The Pariah Dogs (over albums by Jackson Browne and David Lindley, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Guy Clark, and Richard Thompson)

* Best Hard Rock Performance - "Fang" by Them Crooked Vultures (over Alice in Chains, Ozzy Osbourne, Soundgarden, and Stone Temple Pilots)

* Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals - "Imagine" by Herbie Hancock, Pink, India.Arie, Seal, Konono No 1, Jeff Beck & Oumou Sangare. This was a surprise, considering who Hancock & Co. were up against: Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg; B.o.B, Eminem, and Hayley Williams; Elton John and Leon Russell; and Lady Gaga & Beyoncé. It's not the first time Hancock has pulled a Grammy upset; his collaborative interpretation of Joni Mitchell tunes won Album of the Year a couple of years back.

And on a final note, the soundtrack from Green Day's Broadway show "American Idiot" won Best Musical Show Album over cast albums from "Promises, Promises," "Fela!," "A Little Night Music," and "Sondheim On Sondheim."

Weekend Recap: Corin Tucker Steps Out at Maxwell's; Muse Puts on a Rock Show at The Rock

This weekend I saw concerts by two very different acts in two settings that couldn't be further apart. But both shows were very enjoyable: The Corin Tucker Band at Maxwell's in Hoboken and Muse at Newark's Prudential Center (a.k.a. The Rock).


Tucker, part of the much-loved past (and probably future) trio Sleater-Kinney, is on her first tour with her own band and a new album, emerging after taking several years off to raise her children. She headlined an early CMJ showcase at Maxwell's, playing tunes from TCTB's new album "1,000 Years." It was a high-energy set, often capturing the power of S-K.

Corin Tucker and Sara Lund of The Corin Tucker Band at Maxwell's on Saturday. 

If you're a fan of Sleater-Kinney or Tucker, you'll want to catch The Corin Tucker Band at Bowery Ballroom on Tuesday, Oct. 26th. Opening are Darren Hanlon and Hungry Ghost, which features Sara Lund, the drummer in TCTB.

The British trio Muse played Newark Sunday night and put on an old-fashioned rock show spectacle, complete with lasers, individual stages that moved up and down, and giant confetti-filled "eyeball" balloons bouncing through the crowd.

From its opening song, Muse made it clear that Prudential Center fans were in for a rock spectacle.

Although Muse is a huge international success I hadn't heard many songs by them; I went to the show partly to check them out and partly to see the opener, Metric, one of my favorite bands of recent years. (Metric played only half an hour, but it was well worth showing up early to see them.)

Matthew Bellamy takes a turn at the piano.

Muse during its finale at the Prudential Center Sunday.

Special effects aside, Muse put on a very enjoyable show. They play catchy rockers that are often reminiscent of Radiohead, mixing elements of alt rock with prog rock and other genres. I've heard that Jimi Hendrix was an influence on guitarist and singer Matthew Bellamy, and at one point he even played  "The Star-Spangled Banner" solo on his guitar. Muse played songs from its latest album "The Resistance" as well as previous works.

Although most live music I see these days is in clubs or small- to medium-sized venues, it's fun to see an old-style extravagant arena-rock show, and Muse certainly delivered.

Sunday: WFMU Record Fair, Muse & Metric, Angus & Julia Stone, More

The CMJ Music Marathon is over for another year, but there are still plenty of musical events in NYC and environs. The WFMU Record Fair runs through 7 p.m. Sunday, with tons of vinyl, CDs, videos, books, posters, traders, performances, and more. There are still some live events to come for Sunday... see the WFMU Record Fair live broadcasts page for details.

Some highlights from concerts going on tonight:
* British rockers Muse play the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, with Canadian band Metric, one of my favorites, opening.

* Angus & Julia Stone play at Maxwell's in Hoboken; Gareth Dunlop opens.

* legendary singer-songwriter/producer Nick Lowe plays at the Bell House in Brooklyn. Lowe's longtime keyboardist Geraint Watkins opens with his own set.

New York Concerts on Sale: Muse & Metric; 311 & The Offspring; Goo Goo Dolls; Crosby, Stills, & Nash; Adam Lambert; More

Above: Muse (shown here playing at the 2006 Leeds Festival) is performing two gigs in the NYC area in October.

It's getting harder to keep up with all the new concert on-sale info coming out each week, but here goes. As always, there are many more on sale than I can list here. And of course, these listing reflect shows that I think are going to be in high demand (and thus sell out quickly), as well as shows I'm interested in seeing.

Most of the concerts go on sale Saturday, May 1st, but there were a few popular shows that had tickets available Friday, April 30th (links provided):

* She & Him - Terminal 5 - Tues., July 6
* Goo Goo Dolls - PNC Bank Arts Center - Tues., July 27
* Goo Goo Dolls - Nikon at Jones Beach Theater - Fri., July 30
* Muse with Metric - Nassau Coliseum - Sat., Oct. 23
* Muse with Metric - Prudential Center, Newark - Sun., Oct. 24

On Sale Saturday, May 1st:
* Band of Horses with Grizzly Bear and Karen Elson - Williamsburg Waterfront - Sun., June 20 (on sale: May 1, 11 a.m.)
* 311 and The Offspring with Pepper - Nikon at Jones Beach Theater - Fri., July 9 (on sale: May 1, 10 a.m.)
* 311 and The Offspring with Pepper - PNC Bank Arts Center - Sat., July 10 (on sale: May 1, 10 a.m.)
* Crosby, Stills, & Nash - PNC Bank Arts Center - Thurs., Aug. 19 (on sale: May 1, 10 a.m.)
* Crosby, Stills, & Nash - Nikon at Jones Beach Theater - Fri., Aug. 20 (on sale: May 1, 10 a.m.)
* Tim McGraw with special guests Lady Antebellum and Love and Theft - PNC Bank Arts Center - Thurs., July 15 (on sale: May 1, 10 a.m.)
* Adam Lambert with Orianthi and Allison Iraheta - Nokia Theatre Times Square - Nokia Theatre Times Square - Tues., June 22 (on sale: May 1, 10 a.m.)

New York Concerts on Sale This Week: Jim Gaffigan, Julian Casablancas, Muse, Eric Clapton & Jeff Beck, and More

2010 is shaping up to be a great year for live music in the New York City area, if the first few months are any indication. Eric Clapton & Jeff Beck are returning to Madison Square Garden; Julian Casablancas of The Strokes is stepping out on his own; The Swell Season is back supporting its new album; and Alice in Chains are touring once again.

Here are some of the shows that have recently been announced recently or are going on sale this weekend, followed by concerts that are already on sale.

On Sale Fri, Dec 11:

Jim Gaffigan - January 23, Wellmont Theatre; Montclair, NJ - 9:30PM show added.

An Evening With YES - February 10, Wellmont Theatre; Montclair, NJ http://www.wellmonttheatre.com/event/3931

February 13 & 14, Town Hall

David Gray - April 1, Wellmont Theatre; Montclair, NJ

Julian Casablancas - January 14, Terminal 5

Editors and The Antlers - February 19, Terminal 5

Air - March 19, Terminal 5

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - April 8, Webster Hall

Yeasayer - May 4, Webster Hall

Dr. Dog - May 15, Terminal 5

On sale Sat., Dec. 12

Muse and Silversun Pickups - March 5, Madison Square Garden

On sale now:

Eric Clapton & Jeff Beck - February 18 & 19, Madison Square Garden

The Swell Season with special guest Josh Ritter - January 19, Radio City Music Hall

Celtic Woman "Songs From the Heart" -
February 26 & February 27, Radio City Music Hall

Alice In Chains - March 8 & 9, Terminal 5