Crossing Brooklyn Ferry Fest with The Walkmen, The Antlers, Sharon Van Etten, & More Starts Thurs.

The inaugural Crossing Brooklyn Ferry festival starts tomorrow and, despite the name, it's not an outdoor fest or even near the water (it's a Walt Whitman poem). Instead, the music-and-film event (which is curated by Bryce and Aaron Dessner of The National) takes place at three separate venues at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. (Hear Bryce Dessner talk about the festival on WNYC's Soundcheck® program.)

Artists who'll be appearing at Crossing Brooklyn Ferry include The Walkmen, The Antlers, St. Vincent, Sharon Van Etten, Beirut, and Atlas Sound. (Hear/download a five-song live set Van Etten performed at the WFMU radio studios.)

See set times and other info on the Crossing Brooklyn Ferry festival below.

Crossing Brooklyn Ferry has events beginning in the early evening on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and at this time tickets seem to be still available for all three days. Tickets are $45 for each day. Here are the lineups for the main venue, the Gilman Opera House:

Thursday, May 3rd
The Walkmen - 10:45 to 11:45 p.m.
Sharon Van Etten - 9:30 to 10:15
Twin Shadow - 8:15 to 9
Jherek Bischoff - 7 to 7:45

There are short films and other musicians on the other two stages, including People Get Ready (hear them and Jherek Bischoff in the Soundcheck® audio above). Also of note on one of the other stages: Heather Broderick, the singer and multi-instrumentalist from Van Etten's band.

Friday, May 4th
St. Vincent - 10:45 to 11:45 p.m.
The Antlers - 9:30 to 10:15
Tyondai Braxton - 8:15 to 9
Sõ Percussion - 7 to 7:45

Musicians on the other stages include Buke and Gass (from 10 to 10:45) . And there are DJ sets by Christ Keating (of Yeasayer) and Joakim from 12 to 12:45.

Saturday, May 5th
Beirut - 10:45 to 11:45 p.m.
Atlas Sound - 9:30 to 10:15
My Brightest Diamond & Ymusic - 8:15 to 9
Caveman - 7 to 7:45

Musicians on the other stages include Skeletons and Thieving Irons, and there's a DJ set by Pat Mahoney and Nancy Whang (DFA) from 12 to 12:45.

Free Album Streaming: New CDs from The Antlers, The Cars, Sloan, Warren Haynes, More

The new album by the Antlers (shown here playing NYC's River Rocks series last summer) is available for free preview.

There are a lot of good new albums for free preview right now, especially from AOL Music/Spinner (AOL seems to have merged its Spinner album previews into AOL Music).

Of particular interest: the new Danger Mouse album, which features vocals by Jack White and Norah Jones; the Broadway cast recording of "The Book of Mormon," the no-holds-barred musical from the "South Park" creators; new albums from indie favorites The Antlers, Sloan, and Okkervil River; and the first albums in many years from new wave bestsellers The Cars and from Warren Haynes, guitarist for the Allman Brothers Band and Gov't Mule. Oh, and a greatest hits album from the Beastie Boys and new albums by Sloan, Booker T. Jones, and Kate Bush. (Note: I just realized the Warren Haynes Band is playing at NYC's Beacon Theatre Thursday, May 12th; you can get tickets here.)

As always, there are more offerings available than the selections shown below.

NPR First Listen:
"The Book of Mormon" Cast Recording
"Feel It Break" by Austra (Canadian band blending classical music and electronica)
"Director's Cut" by Kate Bush
"Follow Me Down" by Sarah Jarosz

KCRW Album Preview: 
"Rome" by Danger Mouse And Daniele Luppi (streaming until June 7)

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"Burst Apart" by The Antlers
"I Am Very Far" by Okkervil River
"Move Like This" by The Cars
"The Road From Memphis" by Booker T. Jones
"Solid Gold Hits" by Beastie Boys
"Celebration, Florida" by the Felice Brothers
"She Was a Boy" by Yael Naim
"The Double Cross" by Sloan
"Man in Motion" by Warren Haynes
"Life Like" by Joan of Arc
"Collider" by Sam Roberts Band