This Week's Nostalgia (5/7-5/12)

by Trista Hou (Bingshu Hou)

[editor's note: Trista sent this to me on Sunday and I just couldn't get it posted in time. But sans Monday, here are the rest of this week's shows you should check out in New York City...]

Tuesday, May 8

Doe Paoro @ Glasslands in April (more here)

Doe Paoro @ Cameo
Florence and the Machine @ Radio City Music Hall
Bear in Heaven @ Bowery Ballroom
The Beach Boys @ Beacon Theatre
Dead Confederate+The Doorbells @The Mercury Lounge

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros+Fool's Gold @ Roseland Ballroom

Chairlift @ Webster Hall

Wednesday, May 9

Aaron Freeman @ Brooklyn Bowl in December (more here)

Aaron Freeman @ 92YTribeca

The Beach Boys @ Beacon Theatre
Awolnation @ Webster Hall
Bear in Heaven+Blouse+Doldrums @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Mike Wexler+Nymph+Future Shuttle @ The Glasslands Gallery
Horse Feathers @ Bowery Ballroom

Rufus Wainwright @ BAM

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros+Fool's Gold @ Roseland Ballroom

Thursday, May 10

Mark Lanegan @ Bowery Ballroom in February (more here)

Mark Lanegan Band@ Webster Hall
Medeski, Martin, & Wood@ Brooklyn Masonic Temple
Flux Pavilion @ Roseland Ballroom

M83 @ Terminal 5

Japanther @ Xpo 929

Friday, May 11

Lee Ranaldo w/ Sonic Youth @ Williamsburg Waterfront last August (more here)

M. Ward+Lee Ranaldo Band @ Webster Hall

Norah Jones @ The Bell House

Saturday, May 12

Neon Indian

Neon Indian @ Terminal 5
Steve Lawler @ Dekalb Market
Reckless Kelly+Gabriel Kelley @ Bowery Ballroom

Sunday, May 13

Patti Smith @ Webster Hall in September (more here)

Patti Smith (Special Mothers Day Acoustic show) @ City Winery
Diane Birch+Rewards+The Amendments @ The Glasslands Gallery

Fred Armisen (does his playlist) @ Union Pool

FN News Roundup: April 6, 2012

Patti Smith @ Webster Hall, 9/8/11

Happy Friday, kids! I'm typing this while watching the Yankees' opening game and streaming Screaming Females' new album Ugly in preparation for tonight's Bell House show (Tickets still available! Go!), so pleaze porden ani typus.

• The world-renowned Metropolitan Museum has announced its 2012-13 "Met Museum Presents" concert series with a hell of an opener: Patti Smith celebrating Andy Warhol! That's happening on September 28 (ticket info here) with Dean & Britta a little over a week later, so the Met is bringing the heat. No official word on their cheesesteak policy as of press time (New York Times)


• Few artists have the power to make the Internet collectively flip when they kinda-sorta-announce something, and one such artist is Kevin Shields - who kinda-sorta-announced that a NEW MY BLOODY VALENTINE ALBUM might be out later on this year! He's technically been saying that over and over again in the 21 years since Loveless came out... but hey, get cautiously psyched! (Pitchfork)


• Hope you were ready to hear a new Timbaland & Missy Elliott track today, because that's exactly what's happening right now (Beats Per Minute)


• Still bummed you didn't get into the Kraftwerk retrospective shows at the Museum of Modern Art? Well here's some good news - starting tomorrow (4/7), the MoMA will be exclusively selling a new limited-edition version of the band's The Catalogue 8-album box set! (Rolling Stone)


• And as a little parting gift for the weekend, stream Deerhunter guitarist Lockett Pundt's sophomore solo album as Lotus Plaza, Spooky Action At A Distance after the jump. No sophomore slump here - easily going to wind up high on my Top Albums of 2012 list, and a must-listen for any Deerhunter fan (A.V. Club)

FN News Roundup: April 2, 2012

James Murphy @ Brooklyn Night Bazaar, 12/15/11

Happy April, babies. There was quite a bit of April Fool's-related tomfoolery happening in the music world over the weekend, but rest assured that the news below is legit and exceptionally awesome.

• In what may be the best LCD-Iversary gift short of a reunion, LCD Soundsystem has announced that their long-awaited documentary film, Shut Up And Play The Hits, will be seeing a North American theatrical release in special one-night only premieres this summer. Oscilloscope Laboratories will be distributing the film, which - as the hardcore among you know - is the production/distribution studio owned by none other than Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys. Seriously, show us a more badass release story than THAT (Oscilloscope Laboratories)


• I waited a full day to confirm that this wasn't an elaborate hoax, and thankfully it isn't - the legendary Patti Smith is putting out Banga, her first new album since 2004's Trampin', on June 5. The first single "April Fool" (see how I'd be skeptical?) is available now on iTunes, and the LP also features tributes to Amy Winehouse, Johnny Depp, and the nation of Japan (Exclaim!)


• Feeling bummed now that Portlandia is over? Chill - not only is Carrie Brownstein still rocking faces with WILD FLAG (who were just in NYC last night), she's got a memoir coming out through Riverhead Books and was just on Marc Maron's consistently hilarious WTF? podcast (Stereogum)


• In more let's-wait-and-see-if-this-was-a-prank news, yesterday Jack White premiered "Freedom At 21," the next track off of his new album Blunderbuss (out April 24) by... putting it on 1,000 Flexi Discs and tying those to helium balloons launched from Nashville. We kid you not, this actually happened. Check the video below the jump (Third Man Records)


• Hot on the heels of the announcement that their album would be dropping on June 5 (seriously, great day for musics), Liars have revealed the name of said album - WIXIU (pronounced "Wish You") - AND thrown down the LP's great first single "No. 1 Against The Rush" (Beats Per Minute)


• The Walkmen stopped by Pitchfork.tv to play "Heaven" off of their upcoming album, which is also named Heaven (Pitchfork)    

Holy Shit: Patti Smith To Play New Year's Residency At The Bowery Ballroom

Check out our review of Patti Smith's extremely excellent Webster Hall set!

Seriously, emphasis on the Holy Shit.

The Original Punk Goddess, Poet, and Pioneer Patti Smith completely blew our minds when she and her band rocked Webster Hall back in September, and Bowery Presents has announced that she'll be back next month to play not one, not two, but THREE shows at NYC's Bowery Ballroom.

We'll wait a moment whilst you put your eyes back in your sockets.

Yes, this trilogy of shows comprise a New Year's residency that begins on December 29 and ends on the 31st. Tickets will go on sale this Friday (11/18) at noon ET, and before you even think of whining about the $45 price, remember that it will be going toward seeing one of the greatest musicians in the world in one of New York's coolest venues.

Get a taste of what you're in for below, and we'll see you there.

Review: Patti Smith @ Webster Hall, 9/8/11

Words: Damien, More Words: Geanna Barlaam

DAMIEN'S THOUGHTS

"We. Remember. EVERYTHING."

Those three words, spat and snarled out with the conviction of a blood oath, had a sting that will stick with us always. All the moreso because their source was Patti Smith, the true Godmother of Punk, who growled them to a rapt audience at Webster Hall as she literally demolished her black Stratocaster, ripping one string after another off the guitar at the end of her final song of the night, "Rock N Roll Nigger," bringing her outcasts, her people together as one at the end of an electrifying two hour set.

Patti Smith is a fucking legend, and you really don't get how completely true that is until you see her in person. Which is why, when we first heard that she'd be at Webster as the guest of the French public radio network France Inter performing a special set in advance of the 10th anniversary of the September 11 tragedy, we pretty much dropped everything to RSVP and get in. We were far from alone - within 15 minutes of the show's 8pm start time, Webster Hall was packed to near capacity with fans of all ages and nationalities, laser-focused on the stage on which the woman who had such an indelible impact on New York City's music and art scenes and the city's very history itself would soon appear.

This Week's Nostalgia (9/5-9/11)

Okay, so we took last week off again, but that won't happen again for a while, because the next two months are ridiculously busy in terms of live shows in New York City. Hope everyone is having an awesome Labor Day and enjoying the last few weeks of summer weather. Let's take a look at what's in store for us this week.

Tim @ Bowery Ballroom (more)

Les Savy Fav @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Tuesday, September 6

Have you never seen Les Savy Fav live? No?!? Well then you've been missing some of the greatest live performances you'll ever see. For well over a decade, Les Savy Fav have been a staple of the New York City music scene, and for good reason. Forget how good their music is, seeing LSF live is a completely seperate experience. Expect frontman Tim Harrington to be half naked the entire time, and if you don't want to be kissed by a big sweaty bearded dude, don't stand in front of the stage because that will definitely happen. Tickets are still on sale for $15. Do it.

TVOTR @ Radio City (more)

Broken Social Scene/TV on the Radio @ Williamsburg Waterfront
Thursday, September 8

Thursday night holds a few options for you, but this show is certainly a great pairing of modern indie heavyweights. Broken Social Scene are still touring behind last year's excellent Forgiveness Rock Record, and considering how larger than life the band is, I'm a little surprised that they're the opening act. But it doesn't really matter since TV on the Radio are equally great, and are sure to put on a great outdoor performance in their hometown. I caught TVOTR at Radio City Music Hall back in April and though the set was a little short on length, it was nothing short on amazing. Tickets are still on sale.

James @ Hudson Hotel (more)

James Murphy (DJ set) @ VPL
Thursday, September 8

The dust has settled, and it has finally sunk in that LCD Soundsystem is no longer with us. But that doesn't mean LCD mastermind and frontman James Murphy is done with music altogether. On Thursday night at VPL, you'll have the chance to witness one of Murphy's legendary DJ sets. I've had the chance to catch him spinning twice, and both times were just completely epic dance parties. Spinning vinyl that ranges from the most obscure '70s disco to the most recognizable dance-punk of today, James Murphy reminds you that, yes, DJ'ing is truly a lost art form. According to ohmyrockness, this event is free.

Patti Smith @ Webster Hall
Thursday, September 8

The veteran punk queen must have some sort of affinity for playing free shows in New York City because this is the second time Patti Smith has played one this summer. Though the venues she chooses for these performances are often far small than her popularity demands. Her last free show at Battery Park saw plenty of fans being turned away at the door, and though her performance at Webster Hall on Thursday was free with RSVP, that RSVP list was closed pretty quickly. You may have some luck early and waiting in line (RSVP lists are often overcompensated due to the amount of people who just don't show up), but otherwise, this is gonna be tricky to get into. Good luck!

!!! @ SXSW (more)

!!! @ The Bell House
Friday, September 9

Walking the fence of what is and isn't considered fucking nostalgic, !!! (commonly pronounced "chk-chk-chk") will bring their unique dance-punk party to Gowanus in Brooklyn on Friday night at the Bell House. Similar to Les Savy Fav, the band's live show stands apart from their studio recordings, with frontman Nic Offer often performing from within the crowd of dancing fans. I caught !!! at SXSW during one of BrooklynVegan's day parties, and they were so great I rushed to catch them at another party hours later. Tickets are still on sale.

That's all we've got this week. Be sure to subscribe to our Spotify playlist for This Week's Nostalgia so that you'll be able to listen to all of these artists each week if you're unfamiliar with any of them. Also be sure to remind us if there are any shows you feel we missed. Until next week...

Free Concert Alert: Patti Smith @ Webster Hall, 9/8

Well this is a nice surprise - in case you weren't able to get in line early enough for Patti Smith's recent show at Castle Clinton, you've got another shot to see her for FREE early next month. Webster Hall has announced that she'll be headlining a one-night-only event on September 8 sponsored by France Inter (the French National Public Radio Channel) in honor of the 10th anniversary of the World Trade Center collapse on 9/11.

While the event is free, you'll need to send an email to concertbooking@radiofrance.com to confirm your reservation. Definitely make that happen, as this is guaranteed to be a performance to remember.

This Week's Nostalgia (7/11-7/17)

Well, this past week was “slow” in the sense that we only had two major things to suggest in last week’s Nostalgia report, but this week is pretty much the busiest we’ve seen so far this year. We caught Ted Leo & the Pharmacists tear through The Tyranny of Distance for free at the South Street Seaport yesterday, and we’ll have a full set of photos, a review and some videos up shortly. For now, let’s take a look at what’s in store for us New Yorkers this week…

Cibo Matto @ Brooklyn Bowl
Tuesday, July 12th

Cibo Matto have been on indefinite hiatus for the past ten years or so, but made a very brief performance at Le Poisson Rouge earlier this year, which was some sort of prophetic hint that they were up to a full fledged reunion. And that certainly turned out to be the case when they announced a series of dates much to our excitement. The food-obsessed duo will play the very awesome Brooklyn Bowl on Tuesday, and tickets are still on sale. If you miss this show, may God have mercy on your soul, but tickets are also still available for their Bowery Ballroom performance on July 18th, so you still have the chance to fully redeem yourself. Get at it. And may God have mercy on your soul.

Animal Collective @ Prospect Park Bandshell
Tuesday, July 12th

Goofy bastards...

The last time I caught psychedelic pop act Animal Collective, it was at the very same venue--Prospect Park Bandshell, two summers ago. And I still rave about it to anyone who will listen. Considering how heavy their 2009 release Merriweather Post Pavillion is on the samples and electronic beats, their live performance came off surprisingly uncscripted. With Avey Tare playing electric guitar most of the time, and Panda Bear banging on a set of drums while Geologist manipulates various samplers, the trio (now a quartet again upon Deacon’s return) are sure to stun you with their chaotic live show. If I wasn’t already seeing Cibo Matto, this would surely be the show to see, and though tickets are sold out you should have no problem scooping one up on craigslist. Bring glow sticks and enhancements.

Superchunk @ House of Vans (25 Franklin St, Brooklyn)

Thursday, July 14th

More here

If you haven’t seen Superchunk live, you haven’t seen one of the greatest live bands ever. Never mind the fact these guys have been rocking out since 1989, Mac McCaughan still jumps around on stage like an absolute maniac. Last time I saw them, Todd Barry (who recently made an hilarious appearance on FX’s Louie) opened the show with standup, only to return on drums for the band’s encore; a cover of the Misfits’ "Horror Business." Yep, it was awesome. This show, part of the House of Vans concert series, is free with RSVP. The great OFF!, who we recently caught opening for Dinosaur Jr., will also open the show. A line for this will start at 5pm, and doors are at 7pm. Doooo it.

Patti Smith and Her Band @ Castle Clinton

Thursday, July 14th

Patti Smith in 1978

I've never seen Patti Smith live, but I was at Lollapalooza in '07 where I could hear her playing while we waited in the rain for Interpol. In retrospect, that's pretty lame, and now that I have the opportunity to see her again, I can't make it because I'm going to Superchunk. So why am I suggesting this show? To make up for my stupidity I suppose. Smith will be performing at Castle Clinton in Battery Park as part of the annual River to River Festival. According to their website, free tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis onsite at 5pm and doors open at 6pm. Patti plays at 7pm. So if you plan on going, get there early to ensure entry. And let me know how it is.

Joan Jett @ Coney Island (West 21st Street & Surf Avenue)

Thursday, July 14th

If you had to choose between Patti Smith and Joan Jett, who would you choose? Choose wisely, my friend, choose wisely. Both shows are free, and both will undoubtedly be packed. I personally would go with Patti Smith, but that's more due to the fact that the trek to Coney Island by subway is akin to traveling to Philadelphia or something. Joan will be performing as part of the Seaside Summer Concert Series, hosted by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who I saw give an hilariously awkward introduction to Mission of Burma two years ago. I'm sure this show will be a great time, especially if you're a fan of the 52-year old rocker. Heads up: she's still pretty hot. Enjoy.

Paul McCartney @ Yankee Stadium

Friday, July 15th, Saturday, July 16th

As big of a Beatles fan as I am, I've yet to see Paul McCartney live. It probably has to do with the fact that getting tickets to his shows are either impossible to obtain, or ticket prices are extremely high, or that he's kinda sort of a douchebag now. My good friend Colin (also an obsessive Beatles fan) saw McCartney a few years back and said he played "Too Many People" off of his excellent solo album Ram, which is pretty awesome in of itself. But Paul's setlists are generally comprised of Beatles material, including many songs the Beatles never played live themselves. And as much as I wish Paul (a.k.a. one of the richest entertainers in the world) would just bite the bullet and play a few club dates like Paul Simon recently did, seeing him at the new Yankee Stadium should still be pretty great. Nosebleed tickets are available for both the Friday and Saturday show. Bring binoculars.

Notable mentions (a.k.a. I'm too tired to write up stuff on these shows, but they're still great):

7/12 - Slick Rick @ Crotona Park (Free)

7/13 - Urge Overkill @ Rocks Off Cruise (Tickets)

7/15 - Dwarves @ Knitting Factory (Tickets)

7/16 - Dwarves @ The Studio at Webster Hall (where Andy from L.E.S. Stiches and also the manager at Fontanas will open with his band the Threads) (Tickets)

Yeah, summer in New York City is amazing, especially if you're a gigantic music fan and have no money. Also be sure to check out Radiohead's recent performance of The King of Limbs: Live From The Basement if you haven't already. If there are any other shows we've missed, please let us know in the comments. Until next week...