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.

Concert Notes: Titus Andronicus Ends Tour in NYC; Nick Cave, Fleetwood Mac Announce Tours; Another Sandy Benefit; More

Some concert notes from the (near) past and the future:


* New Jersey's Titus Andronicus rocked Webster Hall Sunday night to wrap up its Fall tour. It was tough to get good photos, with the band members in constant motion (especially frontman Patrick Stickles). And fans were stage-diving throughout the show; a few times, there were four fans on stage at the same time. This is only my second time seeing the band, and as before, they delivered a great, high-energy show. They played a good mix of songs from their three albums, as well as a couple of fun covers: the Dave Clark Five's "Do You Love Me" and the Rolling Stones' "Brown Sugar."

Hardcore band Ceremony played before Titus and revved the crowd up (and Stickles wore the band's t-shirt during the Titus Andronicus set). See photos below and at the bottom of the page.

Titus Andronicus at Webster Hall Sunday night.

* Tickets are still available for Wednesday's WFUV Holiday Cheer benefit concert at the Beacon, featuring Lucinda Williams, Shelby Lynne, Shawn Colvin, special guest Steve Earle, and Lake Street Dive.

* Pitchfork is presenting a Hurricane Sandy benefit Dec. 14th featuring The Men, Widowspeak, Lust for Youth, and Waxahatchee. More guests will be announced later. The show will take place at St. Vitus in Brooklyn; tickets are $12.

* Fleetwood Mac will tour next year, playing 35 dates beginning in April (including Madison Square Garden on April 8th). Some sources say a new album is in the works, too. (via Pitchfork)

* Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are headed out on tour, too, and will do two nights at the Beacon March 28th and 29th to support their upcoming album, "Push The Sky Away." Sharon van Etten will open on the U.S. dates. A presale will be held Dec. 5th from 12 Noon to 10 p.m. (promo code: CAVE) before the general public sale on Dec. 6th at 10 a.m. (via CMJ and MSG)

* Arcade Fire tried out some new songs in a Montreal club show over the weekend, performing under a pseudonym. Expect a new album from them late in 2013. (via Spin)

More Titus Andronics photos:

Now Streaming: New CDs from Titus Andronicus, K'Naan, Bat for Lashes, & More

With all the wonderful punk noise that Titus Andronicus has been making since it burst upon the scene a few years back, it's easy to forget that they have only two albums out. That changes in a week with the release of their third album, "Local Business," and you can preview it now at NPR Music (see link to their "First Listen" series below). Another eagerly awaited album there is "The Haunted Man" by Bat for Lashes, the follow-up to her 2009 release, "Two Suns."



Speaking of eagerly awaited releases, Spinner has "Country God or the Girl" by K'Naan, the Somali-Canadian rapper (see the video for "Hurt Me Tomorrow" above). What does his music sound like on his first album following his worldwide mega-success, including his song "Wavin' Flag" being used as a World Cup anthem by Coca-Cola? Like many people, I'm interested to find out.

Spinner also has the latest by Donald Fagen, best known for being half of Steely Dan. Also this week are new albums by ZZ Ward, Widespread Panic, and more, as well as second chances to stream the latest from Jason Lytle and Trey Anastasio.

NPR First Listen:
"Local Business" by Titus Andronicus
"The Haunted Man" by Bat for Lashes
"Book Burner" by Pig Destroyer
"Mars" by Sinkane

[Updated Oct. 16th:] Spin.com:
"Lost Songs" by ... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"Til the Casket Drops" by ZZ Ward
"Country God or the Girl" by K'Naan
"Our Nature" by Savoir Adore
"Sunken Condos" by Donald Fagen
"Wood" by Widespread Panic
"Kinder Machines" by Beaten By Them
"Geronimo" by Piney Gir
"Animator" by The Luyas
"Traveler" by Trey Anastasio
"Dept. of Disappearance" by Jason Lytle

Music Notes: Adele's "Skyfall" Drops, Peter Buck Releases Solo Album, Titus Andronicus Tours, & More

There are random music notes from all over this week, from James Bond to Peter Buck to a mandolin player who's now half a million dollars richer. Read on...

* Adele's "Skyfall," the theme from the forthcoming James Bond movie of the same name, was released today. You can see the official video (with lyrics) below, and buy the single here at iTunes. It's a good tune, and a fitting theme song for a Bond movie. "Skyfall" opens in the U.S. on Nov. 9th.



* Titus Andronicus has released tour dates to support its third album, "Local Business," which drops Oct. 22nd. The band will play Maxwell's in Hoboken on December 1st, and the next night at Webster Hall in NYC.

* The first solo album by Peter Buck, R.E.M.'s guitarist for its entire history, comes out Oct. 5th. The self-titled album features vocals by "R.E.M. bandmate Mike Mills, friend/collaborator Scott McCaughey, Sleater-Kinney’s Corin Tucker, The Decemberists’ Jenny Conlee, Lenny Kaye, and Bill Rieflin," according to Consequence of Sound (which has a previously released single from the album). Read Buck's post about the album on R.E.M.'s website. Note: though the album will be released Oct. 5th, Buck says it will be available at first only on a vinyl pressing of 2,000 copies.

* And finally, big congratulations are due to singer/songwriter/mandolin player Chris Thile, who this week was named one of the winners of the MacArthur Foundation grants. The former member of Nickel Creek, who is currently in the Punch Brothers, will get $500,000 dollars over a period of a few years to spend however he wishes.

Free Concert Notes: Titus Andronicus, Tokyo Police Club, Lyle Lovett, The Jacksons, & More

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts played a great show in Coney Island last night (more on that later), but there are still some high-profile free shows coming up in the next week (including several big ones tomorrow alone). Wherever you are in the NYC area, there's a show near you: in Central Park, Prospect Park, Coney Island, Lincoln Center (the last hurrah of the Lincoln Center Out of Doors festival), and Hoboken's Pier A, which hosted 15,000 for Mumford and Sons on Aug. 1st.

Titus Andronicus is part of a free concert at Van's in Brooklyn.

Below is a list of what's coming up in the next week; see the websites for more details on performers, set times, directions, etc. (Note: there are other events for Lincoln Center Out of Doors than the ones I've listed. The website has the complete schedule.)

Sat., Aug. 11th: Carolina Chocolate Drops, Buckwheat Zydeco, and Abigail Washburn, Central Park SummerStage, 3 p.m.

Sat., Aug. 11th: Lyle Lovett and His Acoustic Group and Aoife O'Donovan, Celebrate Brooklyn (Prospect Park), 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Aug. 11th: The Jacksons: Unity Tour 2012 at the Seaside Concerts in Coney Island (West 21st Street and Surf Avenue), 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Aug. 11th: 29th Annual Roots of American Music Festival at Lincoln Center Out of Doors:

• Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls All-Star Band: Sister Songwriters, 5 p.m.
• The Triple Goddess Twilight Revue: Celebrating the Music of Laura Nyro, 6 p.m.
• Soulful Songwriters Circle: William Bell, Teenie Hodges, and Dan Penn, 7:30 p.m.
• Otis Clay and the Platinum Band, 8:45 p.m.

Sun, Aug. 12th: 29th Annual Roots of American Music Festival at Lincoln Center Out of Doors:

• Tom Paxton, 2 p.m.
• Swamp Dogg, 6 p.m.
• Aloe Blacc, 7 p.m.
• Pardon Our Analysis: An All-Star Gathering for Gil Scott-Heron, 8 p.m.

Thurs., Aug. 16th: Van's House Party with Cursive, Titus Andronicus, Love as Laughter, and Joyce Manor at House of Van's, 25 Franklin St., Brooklyn, 7 p.m. (RSVP here)

Sat., Aug. 18th: Australia Day concert with Husky, Sheppard, High Highs, George Byrne, Maya Jupiter, DJ Ashley Feraude, and Kid Zoom, Central Park, 3 p.m.

Thurs., Aug. 16th:  Gladys Knight and The Commodores at the Seaside Concerts in Coney Island (West 21st Street and Surf Avenue), 7:30 p.m.

Sat, Aug. 18th: Lackawanna Music Festival: Tokyo Police Club, Vacationer, Shinobi Ninja, Body Language, Lights Resolve, We Barbarians, and The Nightmare River Band, Pier A Park in Hoboken, 12 Noon (RSVP here) [UPDATE: There isn't much info at the official site about set times, etc., but this web page lists them. I can't vouch for them, but they sound about right.]

Speaking of free concerts, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts put on a great show last night in extremely muggy conditions in Coney Island (at least it didn't rain). She played a solid assortment of her classic crowd-pleasers, plus a few new songs (so a new album may be in the works). She opened the show with "Bad Reputation" (as usual) and the setlist included "Cherry Bomb," "Victim of Circumstance," "The French Song," "Love is Pain," and "Crimson and Clover." The new songs were called "TMI," "Hard to Grow Up," and "Reality Mentality."

The summer is winding up with a bang; go get out there and see some live music.

Titus Andronicus Posts Free "Mixtape" With New Single, Rarities

Download the free Titus Andronicus "mixtape" with their new single, rarities, and more below.

New Jersey punk rockers Titus Andronicus have give their fans an unique and rather generous gift: a free "mixtape" download that contains their new single plus all sorts of rarities and outtakes.


“Upon Viewing Oregon’s Landscape with the Flood of Detritus” live at the Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ 3/4/2012 by YouTube user Rotolo3.

The third track on the compilation is the new Titus single, "Upon Viewing Oregon’s Landscape with the Flood of Detritus," which the notes says is from the forthcoming split seven-inch single with Diarrhea Planet, and was recorded just last month.

There are also cover versions of rock classics such as "The Boys Are Back in Town," "I Fought the Law," and the Velvet Underground's "Heroin," as well as various demos and outtakes. There are rarities recorded in clubs and in people's homes, such as "Arms Against Atrophy," the band's first recording (2005), according to the notes. The web page also features a number of performance videos (most made by fans).

You can download the Titus Andronicus mixtape here.

Titus Andronicus is currently working on its third album.

NYC Concerts: Black Keys, Magnetic Fields On Sale Friday; F*cked Up, Titus Andronicus, & More Play this Weekend

Tickets for the second Black Keys/Arctic Monkeys show at Madison Square Garden in March go on sale tomorrow, as do tickets for the long-awaited return of Magnetic Fields. And there's a good slate of talent performing live this weekend at the Brooklyn Night Bazaar. Details:

As mentioned here last week, The Black Keys and Arctic Monkeys have added a second show at the Garden on March 22nd, 2012 (the first one is March 12th). Tickets for the Black Keys/Arctic Monkeys concert go on sale tomorrow, Dec. 16th, at 9 a.m.

Stephin Merritt's The Magnetic Fields play the Beacon Theatre on Tuesday, April 3rd. Tickets go on sale Friday, Dec. 16th at 11 a.m. The band will be coming out with a new album, "Love at the Bottom of the Sea," on March 6th, according to their website.

As for gigs to see this weekend, the Brooklyn Night Bazaar has a solid lineup. Friday has Toronto's F*cked Up, Dom, Big Troubles, Radical Dads, and more, while Saturday's Brooklyn Vegan sponsored finale features The Hold Steady, Titus Andronicus, Wakey! Wakey!, and more. (The bazaar started off Thursday night with LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy spinning a DJ set, along with several bands.)

The Brooklyn Night Bazaar combines live music, shopping, art, and food, and takes place at 149 Kent Ave. (entrance is between N. 5th and N. 6th Streets), from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. each night. (More info and directions here.)  The bazaar is free except for the musical performances, which require a ticket. Tickets are $10 for Friday and $18 for Saturday.

Live Shows Saturday: Screaming Females, Bear Hands, Jaymay, & More

Screaming Females headlines at Bowery Ballroom on Saturday.

Saturday is a good night to see some indie rock in the NYC area. Here are a few of the highlights:

• Screaming Females from New Brunswick, NJ play Bowery Ballroom in a show starting at 9 p.m. Also on the bill are Shellshag, Underground Railroad To Candyland, and Hilly Eye (featuring singer and guitarist Amy Klein from Titus Andronicus). If you like female rockers, this show should be a good one. And it'll get you in the mood for the upcoming shows by Throwing Muses and Wild Flag.
  
  
• On the other end of the female musician spectrum is Long Island native Jamie Seerman, who performs under the name Jaymay, and is playing at Bowery Electric in a show that starts at 7:30.  The show also features Lou-is and My Cousin The Emperor. I first heard of her more than five years ago when WFUV played her funny, quirky pop song "See Green, Sea Blue." Although she's appeared on some of the late-night TV shows and had a song or two featured in popular TV programs, she's stayed below the radar.
  
  
• Indie rockers Bear Hands play Maxwell's in Hoboken Saturday with Grandchildren. Showtime is set for 9 p.m. Bear Hands has gained a following over the last few years while opening for acts like MGMT and Vampire Weekend. Their debut full-length is 2010's "Burning Bush Supper Club."

Music Notes, Ladies' Edition: Willie Mae Benefit Show & More

Help support girls who rock at the Willie Mae benefit in Brooklyn Saturday.

Any regular reader of this blog knows that I'm a big fan of female artists, but this edition of Music Notes is devotedly solely to women (and girls) who rock.

* 7th Sound Wave: Benefit for Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls: the Brooklyn training ground for female rockers will be the beneficiary of a show this Saturday night at Manifesta Loft in Brooklyn (315 Seigel St., Apt 217). The performers will be female or female-fronted bands, including teen punk-pop trio Care Bears on Fire and Big Nils (featuring Coco Moore, daughter of Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon).

Also on the bill: Bad Credit No Credit, Shady Hawkins, and Titus Andronicus member Amy Klein (her feminist group Permanent Wave is organizing the benefit). Klein will also be taking part in a panel discussion on women in music, with participants spanning the generations.

I've missed several Willie Mae benefits in the past, but really want to catch this one—though it overlaps somewhat with a good country/bluegrass show in the Roots of American Music series at Lincoln Center Out of Doors. (The good news is that the 7th Sound Wave show begins with the panel at 8 p.m., and since the LCOOD show is at 6, it's possible to catch part of the first and then see all the music at the second.)

The Willie Mae benefit is only $7, and for that you get to see a number of up-and-coming female rockers (plus the panel, if you get there early). You can't beat that, in my book.

Permanent Wave's 7th SOUND WAVE: Benefit for the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls
Manifesta Loft, 315 Seigel St., Apt 217
Brooklyn, NY
All ages; admission: $7
(link to brief article with map)

Celebrate the release of the Runaways tribute record tonight at the Jersey Shore.

* Speaking of spanning the generations of female rockers (and of Care Bears on Fire), CBOF will be playing tonight, Aug. 12th, at the release party for Take It or Leave it, a tribute album to The Runaways. The show is at Brighton Bar in Long Branch, NJ. Also playing will be Richard Barone (formerly of the Bongos), Frankenstein 3000, The Easy Outs, Clinical Trials, and more.

The album, Take It Or Leave It - A Tribute To the Queens of Noise: The Runaways, is a two-disc set that was released on June 28th and features contributions from Shonen Knife, The Donnas, the Dandy Warhols, and David Johansen of The New York Dolls, and many others. (Buy Take It Or Leave It at Amazon.com)

The Runaways Tribute Album Release Party
Brighton Bar, 121 Brighton Ave., Long Branch, NJ
Admission: $10
(directions and info on the venue)

The Go-Go's (seen here playing in NYC) received their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

* Coincidentally, these concerts are happening the same week that perhaps the most successful all-female rock band, the Go-Go's, got a big honor. Yesterday the band received its star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and as far as I know all of the current band members were on hand. You can see photos from the Go-Go's Walk of Fame festivities here.

Congratulations to the Go-Go's!

Black Angels Play Free Show at Mercury Lounge Tonight (& Photos from 4 Knots)

The Black Keys at the 4 Knots Festival Saturday.

After playing Maxwell's on Friday night and closing the 4 Knots festival on Saturday, Austin's Black Angels continue their NYC-area gigs with a FREE concert Monday night at the Mercury Lounge.

The gig, which the band announced from the stage at 4 Knots, is sponsored by Spotify and is part of effort surrounding the online music service's recent U.S. launch. Here are the details on the free Black Angels show: admission is first come, first served, and people can start lining up outside the club starting at 11 p.m. Monday. Doors open at 11:30, and the Black Angels are scheduled to hit the stage at 12:30 a.m.

I'm guessing that you'll be able to get Spotify invites at the event.

The Black Angels put on a fine show at 4 Knots, and actually I enjoyed the bands I saw, the last three of the day (Davila 666 and Titus Andronicus, in addition to Black Angels). I have never seen any of these bands, and had never heard of Davila 666, who are from Puerto Rico.

Some more photos from 4 Knots:

The Black Angels:

Titus Andronicus:

Davila 666:

Today's Inaugural 4 Knots Festival - Lineup, Set Times, Directions, & More

The inaugural 4 Knots Festival runs from 1-8 p.m. today at South Street Seaport.

Relocated from Coney Island and with a new name, the 4 Knots Festival today seeks to bring the vibe of the Village Voice's long-running Siren Festival to a new location at South Street Seaport.

The Festival takes place at Pier 17 and runs from 1 to 8 p.m. If you can't be there, East Village Radio is said to be streaming some of the content live.

The 4 Knots Festival features one stage (though it's still called the Main Stage), as well as the "4 Knots Indoor Lounge" (at 210 Front St.), which will have DJ sets from Yeasayer, Dan Deacon, Finger on the Pulse, Punches, and Brahms. The lounge is open from 2 p.m. to midnight, and is 21 and over, while the rest of the festival is an all-ages affair.

[UPDATE: Set times for the bands and for the Indoor Lounge DJ sets are posted below, or you can find them at the Village Voice website.]

You can also check the 4 Knots website and its Twitter page for information. You can also download a 4 Knots app (for iPhone, Android, and Blackberry) from Livetapp here.

Here are the 4 Knots set times:

• 7:00 p.m. - The Black Angels
  
• 5:30 - Titus Andronicus
  
• 4:30 - Davila 666
  
• 3:30 - Oberhofer
  
• 2:30 - Eleanor Friedberger
  
• 1:30 - Mr. Dream 

Set times for the 4 Knots Fest, screen grab from VV website.

Directions: See the 4 Knots directions page for all the details and a Google map, but here's the condensed version: By subway, take the 2, 3, 4, 5, J, Z or M trains to Fulton Street, or the A or C to Broadway-Nassau. Then walk east on Fulton Street toward Water Street and the East River.

You can also get there by bus and by ferry (appropriately enough for this nautical-themed event); see NY Waterway's route map for boats from New Jersey to Wall St. and Pier 11.

Free on Saturday: Ted Leo and The Screaming Females at the Seaport

Ted Leo and the Screaming Females play the Seaport Saturday, a week before the big 4 Knots Festival.

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists play a free show tomorrow at South Street Seaport's Pier 17 that's billed as a kickoff show for next Saturday's all-day 4 Knots Festival, also at Pier 17. New Brunswick, NJ's Screaming Females are also on the bill with Ted Leo. The show starts at 6 p.m. (See the Village Voice's story on the 4 Knots kickoff show.)

You can get to Pier 17 by taking the 2, 3, 4, 5, J, Z, or M trains to Fulton Street or the A or C to Broadway-Nassau. (See map and directions.)

The 4 Knots Festival is the free shindig that's replacing the Siren Festival, which was held on Coney Island for the last 10 years. Like the Siren Festival, 4 Knots is presented by the Voice, as well as the Seaport Music Festival.

Speaking of 10 years, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists have been around for a decade (and have played many free shows in that time, including the Siren Festival), and for their appearance Saturday they'll be playing their first album, "The Tyranny of Distance," in its entirety. The Voice looks back at some of Ted Leo's 10 years of free NYC shows, with videos. (Below is an amateur video of Leo doing "Little Daw" from the 2010 Siren show, which I attended.)



The 4 Knots Festival takes place from 1 to 8 p.m. and features The Black Angels, Titus Andronicus, Davila 666, Oberhofer, Eleanor Friedberger (of Fiery Furnaces), and Mr. Dream. While the Siren Festival featured two stages, I'm not sure if that will be the case with 4 Knots. Which may be just as well, since you won't have to choose between two acts you really want to see that are playing at the same time.

Titus Andronicus Makes a NJ Road Trip to Shoot a Video Sunday - and You're Invited

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Titus Andronicus announced yesterday that it's shooting its latest video in several places in New Jersey on Sunday, Feb. 20th—and it's inviting fans to come out and be part of the fun.

The Garden State band, which often mentions NJ in its songs, will be appearing at three different locations Sunday for the Tom Scharpling-directed video to its song, "No Future Part Three: Escape From No Future." Among Scharpling's previous videos are "Moves" by the New Pornographes and "Bottled in Cork" by Ted Leo and the Pharmacists.

From the band's statement on XL Recordings:
"The concept of the video is quite simply a one-day tour of the great state of New Jersey, a place that Titus Andronicus is often wont to sing about, and somewhere much beloved by Tom Scharpling to boot. We will run around the state in our van, hop out to rock out, and then on to the next. Get it? Our fondest dream is that when we get to our various locations, you will be there, chomping at the bit to jump up and down in some approximation of punk-ish enthusiasm. Chances are, once we get there and see that you are really nice, we'll probably play a couple other songs for real, just because we live to entertain you. Is that okay? Will you be there?"

Below are the shoot times. You can RSVP if you're coming at the video shoot's Facebook page.
11 a.m.
11 Pinewood Drive
Little Egg Harbor, NJ

3 p.m.
Asbury Park Boardwalk Casino
1150 Boardwalk
Asbury Park, NJ

8:30 p.m.
Roof Of The Iron Monkey
97 Greene Street
Jersey City, NJ

Live Music in NYC & Environs for New Year's Eve - Who's Playing?

Patti Smith & band continue their annual run of New Year's Eve shows  in NYC this year. Shown here is their New Year's Eve 2007 show at Bowery Ballroom. Photo: Kimberly Smith

For me, seeing live music is the best way to ring in the new year. And all things considered, you can get more entertainment bang for your buck with a concert than with a pricey cocktail party or other New Year's Eve option.

Here's a look at some of the live music shows, large and small, taking place in New York City and the nearby area on Friday, December 31st. (Note: Tickets may not be available for all events at the time you're reading this; make sure to check the venue's website for details.)

• Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings & Allen Toussaint, Best Buy Theater (formerly Nokia Times Square), 8 p.m., $55
  
• Patti Smith and Band, Bowery Ballroom 8 p.m., $55
  
• Los Lobos, City Winery, two shows: 7:30 p.m., $60 to $175 (11 p.m. show sold out)
  
• Mike Doughty, Maxwell's (Hoboken, NJ), 7:30 p.m., $25
  
• The Detroit Cobras & The Fleshtones, Maxwell's, 10:30, $20 advance/$25 d.o.s.
  
• Chuck Berry, B.B. King's, 8 p.m. ($98 advance/$100 d.o.s.) & 11 p.m. ($120)
  
• The Butthole Surfers & Lumerians, Music Hall of Williamsburg, 9 p.m., $55
  
• Titus Andronicus, Real Estate, Andrew Cedermark, & Julian Lynch, Ridgewood Masonic Temple (Brooklyn), 8 p.m., $15
  
• Drive-By Truckers, Terminal 5, 9 p.m., $35
  
• Passion Pit & Slick Rick, Wellmont Theatre (Montclair, NJ), 8 p.m., $70
  
• Ms. Lauryn Hill, Bowery Ballroom, 8 p.m., $75
  
• Gov't Mule, Beacon Theatre, 9 p.m., $59.50 to $84 plus fees
  
• Phish, Madison Square Garden, 8 p.m., $70 plus fees